


Of Time and Tragedies

by DragonsAndCryptids



Series: Faeries, Demons, and Dragons [6]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Gore, Canon Rewrite, Character Death, Character Development, Dialogue Heavy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, No Smut, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 75
Words: 255,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21730831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonsAndCryptids/pseuds/DragonsAndCryptids
Summary: Seven years have passed since the events on Tenrou Island. Fairy Tail is no longer considered a powerful guild, and Fiore has changed.Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy are abruptly reunited with their long lost siblings with the beginning of the Grand Magic Games. Erza must learn to navigate her new existence as a Faerie, as well as unravel the truth of her and Jellal's origins. Gray and Juvia delve into their dark family histories, determined to learn more about who, and what, they are.With the Grand Magic Games sparking a new era of conflict, Fairy Tail begins to realize that they are the center of everything, and that their guild may not be what they thought it was.
Relationships: Cana Alberona/Lucy Heartfilia/Loke, Chelia Blendy/Wendy Marvell, Erza Scarlet/Mirajane Strauss, Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet/Mirajane Strauss, Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Meredy/Ultear Milkovich, Mest Gryder | Doranbolt/Lahar, Natsu Dragneel & Gray Fullbuster & Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel & Wendy Marvell & Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lisanna Strauss
Series: Faeries, Demons, and Dragons [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1557613
Comments: 215
Kudos: 359





	1. The Return

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! It's time for the Fairy Tail rewrite part 2! I'm so excited for the upcoming story lines, and I hope you are too! And now, the pre-work notes! 
> 
> First off, if you're new here, please go read the first part, Of Dragons and Demons. This will make absolutely no sense without it. 
> 
> Alright, now. Ships! Part two is going to have a lot more focus on ships than the first one. I tried to tag relationships according to how much focus/plot relevance they have (higher up, more focus). And even though romance will have a much bigger part, there's still a lot of gen. I'm a sucker for strong friendships, guys. You should know this by now.
> 
> Arcs! I'm jumping straight into the Grand Magic Games. Even if I wanted to write the infinity clock arc, I'm pretty sure I slept through 90% of it, not gonna lie. So, as of now, part 2 is going to span from the Grand Magic Games to Tartaros. 
> 
> So everyone knows I wrote Natsu as ace and Erza as bi (as well as Lucy, Loke, and Cana as bi). I also want to go more into the characters LGBT identities in this part. So as well as that being more explicitly addressed, Sting is going to be a trans man, Wendy a lesbian, and Juvia is aromantic (that's right, I did that, her and Gray's relationship is going to be queerplatonic). Unless stated otherwise, everyone else is probably bi. Basically everyone's queer. Why, you may ask? Because I'm queer, next question. 
> 
> I've tagged character death, but it's not major character death, so don't worry about that. But some characters are going to die in this part, so there's that little heads up. 
> 
> Alright, without further ado, the first chapter of part two. I hope you all enjoy it as much as the first part!

Bisca found Romeo out at the docks, staring towards the horizon. She wasn’t surprised, it was one of his… well, she wouldn’t say favorite places, but if he couldn’t be found anywhere else, chances were this was where he was at. “Whatcha up to, kid?” she asked as she settled down next to him. 

He frowned. “We give that stupid guild money again?” 

She sighed. “No.” She left out the fact that it was because they didn’t  _ have _ any money, but he didn’t need to know the details. Or worry about the fact that they would be back later, pissed off that they didn’t get the money. 

“What do you want, Bisca?” he asked as he rested his chin on his knees. 

She leaned over and ruffled his hair. “Just checkin’ up on you. Your dad said he hadn’t see ya in a while. Don’t worry though. I’m not gonna tell him where you’re at.” 

“Stop acting so happy!” he snapped. 

Bisca drew back, not expecting the outburst. Sure, she’d expected him to be angry today, but she wasn’t expecting him to take it out on her. She was one of the few people who had been able to get through to the boy the past few years. 

“You know what today is. Just fucking stop!” Romeo exclaimed as he shifted away from her. 

She frowned. “You know you shouldn’t swear.” 

“You all swear all the damn time,” he muttered, turning his head away. 

“Well…” She dangled her feet off the edge of the dock. “I’m almost thirty. You’re fourteen.” 

He huffed. 

Slowly, as if he were a frightened animal, Bisca laid her hand on his shoulder. “Yes, I do know what today is. It’s why I didn’t want you out here alone. I know how much you looked up to them, how much they mattered to you, but today marks  _ seven years. _ They were officially declared dead four years ago. We have to move on, eventually.” 

He curled in on himself. 

“Now, I’m not saying don’t be sad. Especially today,” she continued. “But you’re a bright, talented boy, Romeo. I don’t want you throwing your life away for the dead.” She squeezed his shoulder, before getting back up. “I’ll leave you alone now. But please. At least think about what I told you. It’s time to move on.” 

* * *

But it seemed the universe didn’t want them to move on. When Bisca arrived back at the guildhall, Mest was there. 

Mest hadn’t been seen since two years ago. 

After the Master and their most powerful members had been annihilated by the black dragon Acnologia, Mest had fallen off the wagon, overcome with guilt (he was a worse alcoholic than Cana had ever been). He’d been summoned off the island by the magic council, for reasons he’d never actually disclosed, and been forced to watch as the dragon killed their guildmates. 

She didn’t blame him for feeling guilty, but his downward spiral was no one’s fault but his own. 

So it was odd to see him back at the guildhall, talking with Macao, no less. 

“Bisca!” Macao called as soon as she walked inside. “Did you find him?” 

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s fine. Just a little upset.” She approached the pair of them, a deep frown on her face. “Mest. What are you doing back?” 

“It’s back,” was all he said, causing Macao to sigh. 

“What’s back?” she asked. What the hell was he talking about? 

“Tenrou.” 

She jerked backwards.  _ “Tenrou? _ That’s impossible.” She’d gone on a couple of the voyages out to where the island had once been, searching for the remains of their guildmates. It was like the island hadn’t even  _ existed. _ There was no way it could just  _ be back.  _ “I know you regret what happened, but I think you need to get help, Mest.” 

Macao shook his head. “No, it’s really back, Bisca. He has word from the magic council with him.” 

Her eyes widened. “Well what does that mean? Where did the island go? How the hell is it back?” 

Mest shrugged. “We don’t know. The magic council has no idea. They can’t even actually set foot on the island. It's surrounded by magic, almost like it’s blocking them out.” 

She frowned. “You’re working for the magic council?” Maybe he had actually pulled himself together recently. 

He shook his head. “No. Lahar felt sorry enough to tell me about it. Guess he actually does feel kind of bad for doing nothing to help all those years ago.” 

“So… what?” she asked, glancing between Macao and Mest. “What are we supposed to do with this? What the hell does it mean?” 

A sullen look crossed Macao’s face. “The magic council is asking members to see if we can get onto the island, since it was our sacred land. I’m agreeing.” 

_ “Why?” _ she demanded. This would do nothing to help them. All it was going to do was give people false hope and drag up bad memories. “What could we  _ possibly _ gain from this? Nothing, that’s what! And besides, the council’s done jackshit for us lately! How many times have we contacted them about that guild now, huh? They’re  _ glad _ that we’re falling apart. You know how much they always hated us!” 

Macao held his hands up. “I’m not disagreeing with you. Actually, I think you’re right. That’s why I’m sending you, and whoever you want to bring with you, to investigate Tenrou. If we can get onto the island, we might be able to finally leverage some help from the council. And… It might help everyone move on if we had some actual bodies to bury.” 

Bisca began to argue, but then she realized he was right. If the council really wanted them to do this, it wasn’t like they were going to be able to get out of it. And she didn’t like the idea of her friends’ bodies laying out on that island to be gnawed on by animals for the rest of time. “Fine,” she relented. “But you better keep a close eye on Asca while I’m gone.” 

* * *

A few hours later, she was already on a ship out to Tenrou, accompanied by Alzack, Jet, and Droy. 

“Really think we’ll find anything?” Alzack asked. 

She sighed and pushed off the railing. “I’m not hopeful.” Obviously, there was some strange magic at work here, but she knew all that hoping her friends were still alive would do was break her heart all over again. “Maybe a few bodies.” 

He grimaced. “Odd that it’s happening after so long, though. And this close to the anniversary, no less. You think it might be some kind of spell with a time limit?” 

She shrugged. “How should I know? Master Makarov was always so secretive about Mavis and her homeland. Maybe the island had some kind of magical defense mechanism.” 

“Yeah…” he agreed. “Maybe this will finally help you get through to Romeo, though.” 

“Maybe.” 

* * *

They arrived at Tenrou a little after sunset, and Bisca couldn’t help but gape at the island. Even after reading about it in the council’s report, and hearing Mest’s claim, she didn’t think she had really believed it. She’d half been expecting to get out here and find nothing but miles of empty ocean, yet again. 

And sure enough, just like Mest had said, there was golden, glowing magic surrounding the island. 

“Woah…” she muttered. Whatever spell that was, it was powerful. Not only that, it felt oddly… soothing. 

“Alright,” she said. “Let’s get going.” She wanted this over as quickly as possible. 

* * *

“So, what, this acted like some weird wall when the council members tried to get through it?” Jet asked as their little rowboat passed right through the spell like it was nothing. 

Bisca hummed. “Evidently.” She reached her hand out, brushing it against the light. It was warm, like basking in a sunbeam. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” 

They separated after their boat brushed against the shore, deciding to meet back at the boat in a few hours. None of them wanted to be here any longer than they had to be. 

The first thing Bisca noticed as she walked through the trees, was that there were  _ animals _ here. It was odd enough that all the plants were still alive and thriving, but she heard living creatures running throughout the forest. Had Tenrou been underwater, they would have drowned. Had that strange spell somehow been able to preserve them? Protect them from Acnologia’s destruction? 

Dangerous hope began to unfurl in her chest, but she shoved it down. She couldn’t start believing they might still be alive based purely on speculation. 

She slid down a bank, dust billowing up around her. She could admit that the island was gorgeous, though. If this was truly where their First Master had grown up, she was jealous.

She shoved through the undergrowth, but tripped when her foot caught on something. “Ah, fuck,” she muttered as she caught herself, eyes squinting in the darkness, trying to figure out what the hell it was she’d just tripped over. 

Her eyes widened as she realized it wasn’t something,  but someone.  “Natsu?” she breathed, collapsing to her knees next to him. 

Their bodies had been preserved this well? She’d expected nothing but bones at this point! 

Gingerly, she rolled him over, though it was difficult with his massive wings. 

His eyes fluttered open. 

Bisca’s hands shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god.” 

* * *

“Chin up, kid,” Laki said as she sat next to Romeo. “Maybe they’ll find something out on that god-forsaken island.” 

Romeo rolled his eyes. “You know they won’t.” He didn’t even know why he was so upset, so angry. He hadn’t even  _ known _ Natsu and the others that well. He’d only been seven when they died, for god’s sake! But it still hurt. It hurt knowing that their most powerful had been torn apart by a monster, all within the blink of an eye. 

Their guild had become a laughing stalk without them. 

Laki sighed. “Well, whatever happens, they should be back soon. Bisca said they’d only be gone for two days, at the most.” 

“I do miss Bisca,” he said. She was the only one who let him be, who didn’t try to make him be happy all the time. He asked her why one time, and she said it was because she remembered how angry she had been when she was his age. She said it was okay, so long as he didn’t let it consume him completely. 

The guildhall doors banged open, and he jerked his head up, maybe a little more excited for Bisca’s news than he could admit. 

But it wasn’t Bisca. It was that damn guild that just kept demanding more and more money. Romeo groaned and laid his head on the table, not wanting to listen to his father try to reason with them yet again. All that was going to happen, was them giving them more money. That’s all that  _ ever _ happened. 

Laki tensed next to him as the conversation escalated. Romeo noticed her calling on her magic. 

He frowned and raised his head. That guild  _ had _ brought a few more members than they normally did. Were they really that pissed because they hadn’t handed over the money last time? They hadn’t even fucking had it! 

Magic power built up, and Romeo jumped out of his chair, braced for a fight that he knew was coming. 

But just as the enemy guild began to release their magic, the ring leader when flying forward, like he’d been shoved from behind.  _ Hard. _

The other members of the guild soon crumpled, knocked unconscious before they even realized what was happening. 

Romeo felt tears build up in his eyes as shaken awe settled around the guildhall. Was this actually real? Or was he going insane? 

Standing in the doorway, was every missing Fairy Tail mage, looking exactly the same as they had seven years ago. 

Natsu stepped forward, a wild grin on his face. “Hey everyone! We’re back!” 


	2. Seven Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tenrou Team begins to realize exactly what missing seven years means

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAHHH! It makes me so happy knowing there's so many people looking forward to this! I can't wait for the grand magic games to start (there will be a few chapters before then), I'm so excited for Sting and Rogue to be introduced, as well as the other guilds. I hope you all have as much fun with it as I do

Natsu hadn’t stopped smiling ever since Bisca dragged him out of that bush. He thought they were  _ dead. _ He hadn’t expected any of them to live, let alone all of them. He didn’t know  _ how _ they survived, but he didn’t bother himself with the details. Why did it matter? They were alive, and that was all that counted! 

Although, he could admit that he didn’t quite know what missing seven years meant. His mind couldn't seem to process that that much time had passed. 

It became a lot more obvious how much time they had missed when they got back to the guildhall, though. 

Everyone was  _ old. _ And he told them as much, earning him a whack upside the head, courtesy of Erza. 

There was a lot to catch up on, though he couldn’t be bothered with most of it. He heard something about some new powerful guild, being broke, some competition between guilds. Maybe it would have been smart to listen to it, but he was busy recounting what had happened on Tenrou to Romeo, who was only five years younger than him now, and that was weird as  _ hell. _

“So you fought a dark guild and a dragon in the same day?” he asked. 

Natsu nodded. “And we kicked their asses!” 

“We were out of commission for seven years, dipshit,” Gray said as he rolled his eyes. “I think it’s generous calling it a draw.” 

“Well whatever. We still walked away, and Acnologia sure as hell wasn’t plannin’ on letting us do that,” he said with a shrug. 

“You know,” Romeo said with a grin. “I learned fire magic while you were gone!” He summoned a handful of purple flames. 

“Hey! Nice going, kid.” Natsu ruffled his hair. 

Romeo beamed. 

* * *

“What’s gotcha so down?” Cana asked as she settled down next to Lucy. “We should party! We stared death in the face and flipped it off!” 

Lucy sighed. She knew Cana was right. Considering what had just happened, there was no reason for her to be upset. “It’s just… my dad hasn’t heard from me in seven years. Actually, he thought I was  _ dead _ for seven years.” 

Cana frowned. “Oh yeah. Sometimes I forget you ain’t an orphan like the rest of us.” 

“You know, you’re not an orphan either,” she pointed out. 

She scoffed and leveled a glare across the guildhall towards Gildarts. “I’m close enough. But I thought you hated your dad.” 

“Well…” She began to fidget. “Yeah? No? I don’t know. He wasn’t the best. Actually, he was kind of awful, but he did care about me, in a weird way.” 

Cana hummed and draped her arm over Lucy’s shoulders. “Alright, sounds like you got some things to talk about with the bastard. Go see him. It’s gonna be awhile before this place gets back on its feet and we start gettin’ decent job requests again anyways.” 

“Maybe you’re right,” she said. She didn’t necessarily  _ want _ to see her father, but if she felt this guilty over him thinking she was dead, perhaps she didn’t hate him as much as she thought she had. “I don’t want to go by myself though.” 

“Hm?” 

“Will you come with me?” she asked. 

“Arrr…” Cana awkwardly cleared her throat. “Am I really the kinda girl you wanna bring home to meet dad? Can’t Loke do it?” 

Lucy lightly punched her shoulder. “Not like  _ that, _ idiot. For like, emotional support, or whatever. And I’ll probably ask Loke to come too.” 

“I guess if you really want me to I will,” she said. 

“Great. No sitting in the wine cellar and drinking the whole time, though!” she said as she gave her a light-hearted glare. 

“Son of a bitch,” Cana whined. 

* * *

“Bisca, can I talk to you?” Erza asked. “Alone?” 

“Of course,” Bisca answered. 

Erza motioned for the woman to follow her, and they stepped out of the guildhall. She’d been worried about this ever since she learned they’d missed seven years, but given how hectic everything had been on the way back from Tenrou and for the past few hours, she hadn’t had a chance to ask anyone. 

“What do you need, Erza?” Bisca asked. 

She took a deep breath. “Jellal?” 

Bisca’s easy smile faded away. “Ah, I figured you would ask about him eventually.” 

“So he’s not here anymore?” She tried not to let her disappointment show. She’d been bracing herself for as much. With her gone, why would Fairy Tail keep him around? They’d likely turned him over to the magic council.

Bisca shook her head. “We… actually don’t know where he is.” 

Relief over him not being arrested washed over her, but it was quickly smothered out by shock. “What?” 

“About a year after the Tenrou incident, he just vanished,” she explained. “No one’s seen him since. At least I don’t think. I admit we never really looked too hard for him. He wasn’t really a priority at the time.” 

“Oh.” Erza wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. On the one hand, it was good that he hadn’t been turned over to the magic council, but also… What had happened to him? Was he okay? Had he escaped, or had someone taken him? “Thank you.” 

Bisca patted her shoulder. “I’m sure if you want to find him, you can. Especially if you get Gray and Natsu’s help.” She turned and stepped back inside the guildhall. 

Erza sighed and slid down the wall of the building, settling in the weeds. This was so much to take in. She’d missed  _ seven years. _ It didn’t seem to be affecting anyone else (though she knew they were likely struggling just as much as her, and were just hiding it). It wasn’t just not knowing what happened to Jellal, the guild had changed.  _ Fiore _ had changed, all without her. 

The guildhall door cracked open again, and Mirajane slipped out. “What are you doing out here all alone, Erz?” 

She forced herself to smile. “Oh, just getting some quiet. And I’m tired of answering questions about why I look like this now.” 

Mirajane frowned and sat down next to her. “Erza.” 

She took a deep breath. “Okay. I don’t like that we missed so much. I don’t like being unable to control things, and  _ seven years _ went by without me around for any of it!” 

Mirajane took her hand, and began tracing the blue patterns that started on her wrist with her thumb. “Yeah, but we were all right there with you. We missed everything too. And besides, it’s not on you to protect everything, keep everything in order.” 

Erza leaned her head against Mirajane’s shoulder. “What if something big happened? Something we could have stopped? Like, what if something like Edolas happened while we were gone and because we weren’t around, it just  _ happened!”  _

Mirajane lifted her hand to her lips and planted a soft kiss on it. “You’re such a hero, Erz. You know that, right? But even you can’t save everyone. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you think about every possible thing you  _ might _ have been able to stop.” 

“I couldn’t stop that dragon…” she muttered. 

“No one could have stopped the dragon. All of us  _ combined _ couldn’t stop that dragon,” she said firmly. “That  _ wasn’t  _ your fault.” 

She knew that. Of course she knew that, somewhere in her head. But it did nothing to ease her guilt. She had led her guildmates into that battle, and it had cost them seven years. Would they have followed her if they knew what would happen? 

“Something else is bothering you,” Mirajane said, giving her hand a light squeeze. 

“I’m worried about Jellal,” she admitted. “Bisca said he vanished six years ago. So much could have happened since then.” 

Mirajane hummed. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. I mean, wasn’t he dead at one point? If he can come back from that, I’m sure he’ll be fine. You’ll find him again one day.” She pointed to the marking on her face. “I don’t know if you’ve seen the marking on your face yet, but it matches his. That has to mean something.” 

She actually hadn’t known that. She’d seen the markings on her arms and chest, felt her pointed ears and teeth, and been asked about her strange golden eye now. She knew she had a marking on her face as well, but no one had told her it matched Jellal’s. Oddly, it made her feel better. Mirajane was right. If they’d found each once after being separated for so long, they could do it again. “Thanks, Mira.”

She leaned her head against Erza’s. “Anytime, dear.” 

* * *

Gajeel watched as Levy caught up with Jet and Droy, a wide smile on her face. He tried to fight back the jealousy unfurling in his chest. She never looked at  _ him _ like that. 

(Never mind the fact that to Jet and Droy, she’d been gone seven years and that was bound to be emotional, or that Gajeel had never exactly been  _ nice _ to her, or that he shut down any show of emotions between them). 

He shook his head with a small growl. Fuck, he was in deep. What happened to getting rid of these stupid feelings, huh? Where had that idea gone? If anything, they’d somehow managed to get  _ worse _ in the past few days. 

Or past seven years, he supposed. 

“You better stop staring at them like that,” Juvia said as she came up beside him. “Someone’ll think you’re about to kill them.” 

“This is just my face,” he said. He didn’t look  _ that _ pissed off. “And I ain’t lookin’ at anyone.” 

She raised her eyebrow at him, and shook her head with a scoff. “Remember that you already told me about your cute little crush. I know what’s up.” 

“Fuck off, Ju.” 

She laughed. “Every time I think you might be going soft, you just have to act like an ass.” She leaned against him, aggravating his ribs, which  _ still _ hadn’t been healed, but he didn’t tell her. He liked her touch, and he wished she touched him more. “I’m leaving to see my father tomorrow,” she said. 

“Yeah?” He knew she’d gone to meet with him that one time to help the ice bastard out, and started sending him letters. 

She nodded. “I feel awful. I promised him we would keep in touch, and then I dropped off the face of the planet for another seven years.” 

“That’s rough.” 

“You’re not a great person to confide in,” she said. 

He snorted. “And yet you’re still here.” 

“Call it a habit. I forget that I have other friends now, who are a bit more socially adept,” she said. 

“I’m plenty socially adept.” How long had it been since he’d punched someone for looking at him the wrong way? He was a lot better than he had been, that was for sure. 

“Sure, Gajeel,” she said as she patted his shoulder. “I'll believe you when you actually join in on a normal conversation with anyone other than your siblings.” 

“Whatever. Have fun meeting with your old man,” he said. 

She let out a weary sigh. “Oh, a great time, I’m sure. He’ll be upset with me.” 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. “That ain’t yer fault.” 

She shook her head. “No… But he’ll blame Fairy Tail. He wasn’t exactly happy about me being a member in the first place, and an incident like this will only make it worse.” 

“Take someone with you,” he offered. “Someone sweet, that’ll make ‘im see it’s a good place here.” 

“Are you offering?” she asked. 

“Fuck no. I don’t do family shit.” Then he frowned. “And I said someone  _ sweet.” _

Juvia glanced across the guildhall, observing all the wild Fairy Tail mages. Everyone had started drinking about an hour ago, and they were already getting very loud, and Gajeel knew it wouldn’t be long before brawls and competitions started. “I don’t know if  _ sweet _ really applies to anyone here.” 

“Wendy,” he said. Wendy was very sweet. Sometimes Gajeel wondered how they had come from the same background at all. He had no idea how the fuck five dragons and four rowdy older brothers raised a girl like her. 

“You’re suggesting I take your twelve year old sister home to meet my father to convince him that Fairy Tail isn’t a miserable cesspool?” she asked. 

He shrugged. “I don’t know jackshit about families, Ju. My parents died when I was three, I was raised by some giant lizards, then I became a criminal. I don’t have a lot to go on here.” 

“I suppose… that’s fair,” she said. “But no, I’m not bringing Wendy. If I bring anyone, it’ll probably be Gray. At least they’ve already met once, even if they didn’t really… hit it off.” 

He grinned. “Damn, Ju. What are you gonna do when you finally break it to yer old man that you and the ice bastard are a thing?” 

She glared at him. “We’re not!” 

“Alright.” If she was going to tease him over Levy, he had every right to do the same thing. 

Best friends did stuff like that, right? 

* * *

“Heard the Master’s lettin’ Laxus stick around,” Gray said as he sat down next to Natsu. 

“Really?” Erza asked. 

He nodded. He was a little shocked himself. Not that he thought Laxus didn’t deserve it after what he’d done for them, but the Master had seemed pretty serious about his banishment. 

Natsu perked up. “I’ll have more chances to fight him now!” 

“He’d kick your ass,” Gray said. 

Natsu growled. “Would not!” 

“Cut it out,” Erza said, baring her teeth. 

Gray couldn’t help but snicker. He’d noticed Erza had started doing little things like that more often ever since her… transformation. It reminded him a lot of Natsu, actually. 

“What?” she asked. 

“Nothing,” he said. “But you might start getting the same complaints Natsu gets about acting weird.” 

Her eyebrows knit together. “Huh?” 

“Yeah, what the hell are you talking about?” Natsu asked. “And not that many people complain about me!” 

Gray flicked his ear. “Because you scared everyone off that it actually bothered. The rest of us don’t care.” 

Natsu frowned and rubbed at his ear. 

“I’m still waiting for you to explain,” Erza said as she crossed her arms. 

He shrugged. “You just bared your teeth. I’ve noticed you do it a few times now. Used to, you really only did it when you fought. Flamebrain over here does that all the time.” 

“Uh, yeah, how else are you gonna show you’re serious?” Natsu asked. 

Gray gestured to him. He’d just proved his point. Normal people didn't _bare their teeth_ to show they were serious. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you smelling everything either.” 

“W-Well,” she began, a slight blush beginning to crawl across her cheeks. “It’s interesting! I’ve never noticed how different everything smells.” 

Natsu nodded vigorously, his hair flying. “I know right!” 

“Yeah!” Erza exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “You can figure so many things out!” 

Gray rolled his eyes. “I doubt it’s that awesome.” 

Natsu ignored the comment. “Wait until you start figuring out how people feel based on their scent. It’s so weird.” 

“How do you do that?” Erza asked. 

He shrugged. “I dunno. I remember when Igneel taught me, he said somethin’ about different things goin’ on in their brains that we could sense. I didn’t really pay attention. It takes a while to figure out though.” 

Erza hummed. “Maybe I’ll ask Wendy. She was always better at listening than you.” 

“Hey!” Natsu exclaimed. “I listen just fine.” 

Gray sighed and leaned against the back of his chair. It felt good to be back. 

* * *

“God, this place is a disaster,” Gajeel said when they got home later that night. 

Wendy peeled away the vines and leaves that covered the door, and it took her a moment to get it pried open. Their scents had long since faded away, and it was obvious no one had touched the house in years. 

Natsu shuffled inside, yawning, “We’ll start cleanin’ tomorrow. I’m going to bed.” 

Gajeel hummed in agreement. 

“Uh… Everything in here is disgusting,” she said. “Please don’t sleep in all the dirt and leaves—” She cut herself off as Natsu collapsed face down on the couch, dust billowing up around him. “Natsu!” 

“Still comfy,” he said. 

“Scoot over.” Gajeel nudged him. “Or I’m gonna lay on top of ya.” 

Natsu groaned, but shifted so that Gajeel could fit on the couch, with Natsu half-laying on top of him. 

“Gajeel!” she exclaimed. “Please! Can we at least clean off the couch if that’s where we’re going to sleep?” 

Natsu was already snoring, and Gajeel wasn’t too far behind. 

Wendy sighed. She supposed she  _ was _ really tired. And it wasn’t like they didn’t just sleep on the ground during quests sometimes. This really wasn’t that much different. 

She yawned, and climbed onto the couch, curling up on Gajeel’s chest and pulling Natsu’s wing over herself, almost like a blanket. 

It’d been a while since they all slept together like this, but after what happened on Tenrou, they were a little wary about letting each other out of sight. 

She snuggled against her brothers, and hoped that they could just have a little break for a while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to let everyone have some fluffy moments before everything goes to absolute shit again
> 
> Also, fun fact! I actually really love Bisca, and wanted to include her more in this rewrite, though I could never really find anywhere to fit her in, so I love getting to write her for scenes now


	3. Picking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several members of the guild head out to meet with their families, and talk of the Grand Magic Games begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer wait. I'm back with my mom's side of the family for the holidays (*sigh* unfortunately), so things have been a little hectic. Plus my dog had a medical emergency literally as soon as I got back, so I was pretty worked up for a few days. He'll be fine, but it definitely wasn't a fun situation there for a while. Anyways, sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoy the chapter

_ “Zeref, what am I?”  _

_ Zeref glanced up, a little startled. Natsu supposed he couldn’t blame him. He rarely talked, let alone more than one or two words at a time. It had taken him the entire day to formulate that question. To think about what it meant, to string the words together. He hoped Zeref understood what he meant, because Natsu didn’t know how to clarify if he didn’t.  _

_ “You’re Natsu,” Zeref said after a moment.  _

_ He shook his head. That wasn’t what he meant. That was his name, the word connected to him, but it wasn’t what he  _ was. 

_ Zeref frowned. “Why are you asking this?”  _

_ Natsu just stared at him. He didn’t know how to answer that. But he knew he needed to know. His body always felt so strange, so different (though different from what, he had no idea). He tried to repeat his original question, but his tongue was refusing to work right again.  _

_ “You’re still having trouble talking?” Zeref asked.  _

_ Natsu whined. Why wouldn’t he just answer his question!?  _

_ “You’re my little brother,” he said. “That’s all that matters.”  _

_ “No,” he forced out. That wasn’t what he wanted. He was  _ different _ than Zeref. He  _ knew _ that. He wanted to know  _ why. 

_ “Yes, you are my brother,” Zeref said, his voice tired. “I know you have trouble remembering, but I assure you that you are.”  _

_ “No!” he shouted.  _

_ Zeref sighed. “I need you to try to communicate. I can’t tell you what you want to know if I don’t even know what that is.”  _

_ Natsu stared at the floor, thinking about his question again. He forced his tongue to obey him, thinking about the words harder than he had ever thought about anything. “What… am I?” They were clumsy, stilted, but he still got them out. “What am… I?”  _

_ “Natsu—” Zeref began, and he knew that he wasn’t going to get the answer he wanted.  _

_ “What am I!?” he screamed, clutching at his head as the words became all he could think about. “What am I? What am I? What am I!?”  _

_ Zeref rushed forward to grab his wrists. “Calm down. You have to calm down!”  _

_ He fell to his knees.  _ What am I, what am I, what am I, what am I? 

_ Zeref pulled him close. “You’re going to fall apart again if you keep this up. I don’t think I can handle putting you back together again. I don’t know of what else to try.” His voice was so broken, so tired. “I just can’t seem to get your mind right, and I don’t know why.”  _

_ “What am I?” he rasped one more time, voice weak and cracking from disuse.  _

_ “Honestly…” Zeref bowed his head. “I don’t know, Natsu. I don’t know what I turned you into.”  _

_ Natsu stared at him. Was he actually going to get a straight answer?  _

_ “You’ve become something new,” Zeref said, only speaking when Natsu looked him in the eye. “I turned you into something else. I call it an Etherious.”  _

Etherious. _ Natsu could never hope to say that word. It had too many twists. “My… mind…”  _

_ Zeref shook his head. “It’s just not right. I don’t know what happened. You’re not the same… And I can’t fix it, I’ve tried so many times now. You’re not human anymore, and I can’t do anything about it.”  _

_ Human? He thought he knew what that meant, but he wasn’t so sure.  _

_ He wasn’t human. Zeref didn’t even know  _ what _ he was.  _

_ “If I keep trying to make you human, I’m going to destroy what little bit of you I managed to bring back,” he said. “So I think it’s time to try something else. It’s time to take away what little humanity I left you.”  _

* * *

Gajeel woke up to Natsu whimpering and twitching in his sleep. He sighed and ran his fingers through his brother’s hair, and did his best to recreate the purring noise that their dragons used to make to help calm them down when they were younger. It was a little rough, not quite right, but it was close enough. It took a few moments, but eventually, Natsu settled down again. Thankfully, because Gajeel really didn’t want to wake him up. God knew he needed the rest. 

Speaking of which, he noticed Wendy was gone. “Hey, brat, where’d ya go?” he called quietly. 

Wendy leaned out of her bedroom, already covered in dust and leaves. “Oh, morning, Gajeel! I decided to go ahead and get the jump on cleaning.” 

He frowned. “Would it kill ya to sleep in?” 

“It’s noon.” 

“Shit, really?” He leaned up to look out the window, causing Natsu to whine as he was dislodged. 

“You can go back to sleep if you’re still tired,” Wendy said as she walked over. “You know I always wake up before you guys anyways.” 

He grunted and slumped against the couch, and Natsu snuggled up against his chest again. “Don’t go cleanin’ the whole house without help.” 

She crawled onto his chest, settled in next to Natsu, and nuzzled her cheek against him. “Absolutely not. I’m not your maid.”

“Heh, of course not,” he yawned. 

“Hey, Gajeel…” 

“Hm?” 

“What about Sting and Rogue?” she asked. 

Gajeel’s mouth went dry. He’d been trying not to think of their missing brothers, of how they’d gone another  _ seven years _ without them. It’d been fifteen years to them. So much could have happened. They could be dead, or hell, they could be dragons by this point. “I don’t know.” 

“They would be Natsu’s age now, wouldn’t they?”

Gajeel glanced at their brother. It was hard to imagine Sting and Rogue anywhere near his age, looking that old, but Wendy was right. “Yeah, guess so.” 

“You think we’ll ever find them?” she asked. 

“Doubt it.” Wendy wasn’t a little kid anymore. It was time to stop sugar coating things for her. “We only met again by chance. And fer them it’s been fifteen years. Even if we did, there’s no way in hell they’re even the same people.” 

“Oh…” She pressed closer to him. “I guess you’re right.” 

* * *

“You beat up that guild, didn’t you, Mira?” Lisanna asked as soon as she got back to the guildhall. 

“Not at all,” she said. “We merely insisted they stop extorting money out of our guild.” 

“We kicked their asses!” Erza exclaimed at the same time, punching her fist into the air.

Lisanna laughed and shook her head. “They deserved it.” 

Erza glanced around the guildhall. “Where is everyone? It’s quiet.” 

Lisanna shrugged. “Loke, Lucy, and Cana left this morning to go see Lucy’s family. Juvia and Gray left, too, to go see her father. Laxus and his crew left on one of the few jobs we had. I think Levy left to go see her family as well. I don’t know where Natsu and Wendy and Gajeel are, though.” She was beginning to get worried, though she knew it was ridiculous. Natsu was  _ fine. _ Even if, normally, he’d be at the guildhall by now. 

“Gray didn’t tell me he was leaving!” Erza said. “I’m gonna kill him when he gets back!” 

Mirajane chuckled and patted her shoulder. “It was probably a spur of the moment thing. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” 

She muttered something under her breath as she sat on one of the barstools. 

“Everyone’s flat broke though,” Lisanna said. “The guild, not to mention everyone in it. It’s bound to cause some issues eventually. We’re going to have to come up with a solution to that soon.” 

“We could always attempt the Grand Magic Games again,” Bisca said. 

“The what?” Erza asked. 

“No!” Macao said. “It was humiliating last time we tried it. We won’t win.” 

Bisca shrugged. “Sure. But we’ve got them back. Why not give it another shot?” 

Lisanna leaned across the bar, intrigued. “Yeah, what are the Grand Magic Games?” 

* * *

“It’ll be fine, Juvia,” Gray insisted. “If we explain, he’ll understand.” 

Juvia nervously twirled her hair around her fingers. “I don’t know… I was gone for seven years! He’s bound to be upset.” 

Gray opted not to reply. What did he know about family, anyways? He didn’t  _ think _ people who cared about each other should get mad over things out of their control. It wasn’t Juvia’s fault that she was frozen in time for seven years. 

Her nervous ticks only got worse the further into her old town they walked. Fiddling with her sleeves, her hair, basically anything she could get a hold of. 

“Hey.” Gray gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Everything’s gonna be okay.” 

She let out a shaky breath. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said as they approached the house. “I know as soon as I explain, it'll be fine, but I feel guilty. I know it’s not my fault, but he was worried about something like this happening, and then it did!” 

The little cottage looked no different than it had since the last time they were here. Which was probably good. Juvia hadn’t sent a message on ahead this time, in a hurry to get here as fast as possible and explain. For a brief moment they worried about whether her father might still live here, but it looked like he still did. Surely someone else would have changed the small house up a little. 

Juvia knocked on the door, then frowned when it swung open. “That’s weird. It wasn’t latched?” 

Gray nudged past her. “Eh, he probably just didn’t catch it the last time he came in or out.” 

Juvia steeled herself and stepped inside. “Dad?” she called. “Listen, I know I have a lot to explain, but if—” Her words dissolved into horrified silence, before she covered her mouth with her hands and  _ screamed.  _

Lying in pieces on the floor, was her father. He’d been  _ torn apart.  _ Blood was splattered all over the inside of the cottage. The smell was  _ horrid, _ and Gray had no idea how they hadn’t noticed it from outside. Flies buzzed throughout the house. He’d been dead for at least a few days. 

As quickly as he registered the scene before him, he grabbed Juvia and pulled her out of the house. “You don’t need to see that,” he muttered. He remembered what it was like to stare at your parent’s mutilated body. The last thing she needed was to look at that for any longer than necessary. 

At first she struggled against him, sobbing, but she soon gave up, more or less going limp. “Dad…” she choked out. “Oh my god! Dad!” 

Gray pulled her out of the house, before falling onto the ground. He pulled her close, holding her tight to keep her from running back into the house. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.” 

She fell back against his chest. “My dad…” 

He held her close, letting her cry. 

Something fractured in his chest, and he began to feel overwhelming loss, though he hadn’t known the man at all. His heart ached, and he felt tears build up in his eye, threatening to spill over. 

“I’m sorry.” 

* * *

“I’m gonna beat the fuck out of your father if he’s a prick, laying that out there right fucking now,” Cana said as they walked up the path to the Heartfilia mansion. And she was completely serious. If her girlfriend’s bitch of a father said a single damn thing she didn’t like, she’d punch him. 

“I told you not to drink,” Lucy grumbled. 

“Completely sober,” she retaliated. And she was. This was obviously important to Lucy. She wasn’t going to fuck it up on purpose by showing up plastered. That being said, there was no guarantee that she wasn’t going to  _ accidentally _ do something wrong. She had yet to figure out how to speak with a filter. “And where’s Loke?” 

“Right here.” Loke appeared in between them and slung his arms over their shoulders. “I’ll keep her in check, babe.” 

Lucy scoffed. “Please. You’re not much better than her.” But she smiled. “No one’s ever really stood up to him for me before. But I am serious. I want to talk to him for myself. I’m not saying you’re not allowed to say anything, but try not to talk over me.” 

Cana rolled her eyes. “I know when to keep my mouth shut.” 

Loke raised an eyebrow. “Okay, but do you, though? Or are we forgetting about the time you cussed out the Celestial Spirit King? Because everyone’s  _ still _ giving me shit about that. Aquarius is never gonna let it go.” 

“Uh, yeah, and me calling him a bitch saved your hide,” she said as she crossed her arms. 

“I’m the one who punched a hole through space!” Lucy argued. 

They continued to bicker, until they reached the giant front doors of the mansion. “You know, Cana,” Loke said as they stared at the intricate doors. “Maybe you should have put on a shirt.” 

“I literally have not worn a shirt since I was eighteen, and I don’t intend to start again anytime soon,” she said. And she didn’t give a shit what Lucy’s stuck up rich dad thought of her. She didn’t give a shit what anyone thought of her. She had better things to care about. 

Lucy took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.” 

* * *

So the Grand Magic Games were a competition between all the guilds in Fiore. Erza was immediately interested. “So you fight?” 

Bisca and Macao exchanged a glance. “Yes?” they said together. 

Erza hummed, the gears already turning. “And there’s a monetary prize?” Lisanna was right. If the guild didn’t start paying off their debts (the guild that had been extorting them weren’t the only people they owed), they were going to end up in some serious trouble. And not only that, she could admit that her pride was involved. They had gone from the best of the best to the lowest of the low. It was humiliating. And winning this competition would be a great way to get them back to the top where they belonged. 

“I wasn’t really… serious, you know,” Bisca said carefully. “Not that I don’t have faith in you guys, but we probably have more pressing things to be working on. And guilds have changed a lot over the years. Some of them are really aggressive now—”

“It’s okay, you can say Sabertooth,” Laki interjected from a few seats away. 

Bisca grimaced. “Yeah, they’re number one now. And they’re vicious. Look, all I’m saying, is that I don’t know if it’s worth it trying to enter. No one will take us seriously, even with you back. The chances of you actually winning, just aren’t worth the risks, the injuries you might get. I don’t think it’s really a good idea.” 

But Erza wasn’t listening. She was already planning the way to suggest entering to the Master. 

* * *

It’d been a while since Lisanna had gone to Natsu’s house. They were just so busy, and they saw each other at the guildhall a lot, so they never really saw a point in her coming over, or in him coming to her room at Fairy Hills. Actually, she didn’t think she’d been in his house at all since returning from Edolas, now that she thought about it. 

But he hadn’t come to the guildhall all day, and with Erza on a warpath towards the Grand Magic Games, Lisanna thought it might be smart to come fill him and his siblings in. If they ended up actually entering, chances were the dragon slayers were going to be major players. 

The house hadn’t changed at all. It was a little overgrown, though she suspected that was from their missing seven years, rather than Natsu and Wendy (and Gajeel, she supposed), just letting it go to hell. 

She knocked on the door. 

It swung open to reveal a scowling Gajeel. “What the fuck are you doing here? Leave.” 

“Uh…” She’d only spoken to Gajeel a rare few times, but she never thought she’d done anything to piss the man off. 

“Who is it?” Wendy called from somewhere inside the house. 

“One of those Strauss bitches!” he called over his shoulder, preparing to slam the door in her face. 

“Let her in!” she shouted back. “Is it Miss Mirajane?” 

Gajeel growled, but stepped out of the way to let her inside. “No! The other one! Natsu’s girl!” 

Lisanna’s cheeks burned. “I’m not—I’m not his anything.” 

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. “Sure. Are ya comin’ in or not?” 

She shuffled inside, doing her best not to stare at Gajeel. He was just so  _ weird.  _ He was so different than Natsu and Wendy, but they were  _ so close.  _ “How come none of you came to the guildhall today?” 

“Cleanin.’ It’s fucking disgusting in here,” he said as he disappeared into one of the bedrooms, leaving Lisanna alone in the living room. 

She felt so awkward, and she could not figure out why. She’d been here before. She used to come here all the time when she was younger. Was it because Gajeel was here now? Or was it because she’d finally figured out what she felt for Natsu? 

“Oh! Hi, Miss Lisanna!” Wendy exclaimed as she bounded down a hallway. She was covered in dirt, and her hair was full of leaves. “What are you doing here?” 

Before Lisanna could answer, Natsu tore through the house, with Gajeel hot on his heels. “Get back here, asshole!” he shouted. 

Natsu laughed, before shrieking as he skidded into a wall. Gajeel grabbed him by his scarf and lifted him into the air. “Give it back, fucking prick.” 

Natsu kicked his legs and jerked his wings. “Put me down, you dick!” 

Wendy sighed. “One second, Miss Lisanna.” Then she dashed towards her brothers. “Gajeel, put him down. We’re supposed to be cleaning right now. Natsu, give back whatever you took.” 

“Fuck off, Wendy,” Gajeel said as he flicked Natsu’s nose. 

Natsu snarled and bit at his brother’s hand. 

Gajeel yelped and dropped him, and it wasn’t too long before the pair was rolling around on the floor trading blows. 

Lisanna couldn’t help it. She started laughing. Perhaps Gajeel wasn’t as intimidating as she’d thought. It almost reminded her of the way Natsu fought with Gray, if not with a little more growling and biting. 

“I’m not going to let you have any dinner!” Wendy shouted as she stomped her foot. 

Gajeel and Natsu froze. 

“Stop it,” she said as she kicked at them. “And we have a guest right now anyways.” 

Finally, Natsu noticed Lisanna. “Oh. Hi, Lis. What are you doing here?” He shoved Gajeel off himself and got to his feet. 

God, why did she have to fall for such an idiot? “Well, none of you came to the guildhall, so I decided to come check up on you. And Erza’s planning something you should probably know about.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was such a weird blend of fucked up and fluff, so I hope it worked out. Thanks for reading!


	4. Teams Chosen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray deals with the magic council, and Erza chooses teams for the Grand Magic Games

Gray had no idea how long he held her there. Long enough for neighbors to hear her wailing and to come discover what was going on. After that, it wasn’t long before authorities were alerted. Even the magic council was notified, as this obviously wasn’t a normal death. 

Juvia pressed against Gray’s chest when the pieces of her father were removed from the little cottage. “He died thinking I left him again…” she whispered. 

He curled his fingers into her hair, not knowing how to comfort her. He wished he was better at this kind of thing. 

“You two were the ones to discover the body?” a council member asked as he approached them. 

“Yeah,” Gray ground out. “But I’ll answer your questions later.” 

The council member glared at him. “This is a time sensitive matter, and you’re not free of suspicion. Don’t make this difficult.” 

Gray tightened his hold on Juvia. “I said,  _ not now.”  _

The council member growled. “You Fairy Tail bastards just couldn’t stay dead. You have to make everything so damn difficult.” 

“That was her father, you asshole!” Gray shouted. “Now back off! I’ll answer your questions in a fucking minute!” 

The council member’s eyes widened, and he had the decency to look a little sorry. “Very well then. But don’t even think about running off.” 

Gray snarled. “Just fuck off for a minute, prick.” 

Though he looked far from happy about it, the council member retreated. 

Juvia sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “We should probably go answer their questions…” She began to get up, but Gray pulled her back down. 

“I’ll answer them,” he said as he shook his head. “You just… This isn’t something you should have to deal with.”

Weakly, she clutched at Gray’s shirt. “Why?” 

“I know what it feels like to see your parents like that,” he said. “And the stupid fucking magic council isn’t more important than your feelings right now.” 

She shook her head. “No… why did this happen? I don’t understand.” She stared up at him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. “He—Demons are gone. He just—Why would—” 

“We’ll figure it out, okay?” he said. “I’m not about to trust something like this to the council. We’ll look into this ourselves. I’ll be right back. I’m gonna answer the council’s questions, okay?” 

She nodded, slowly letting go of him. “I want to go back to the guildhall.” 

“As soon as I’m done with the council, we will,” he assured her. “I’ll be back in a second.” 

He felt bad about leaving her kneeling in the dirt, to be gawked at by the curious villagers, but it would probably be better for her if they got out of here quickly, and that meant dealing with the stupid council. 

“Alright,” Gray said as he approached the group of them. “The hell do you want? We need to get home.” 

“Ah, Fairy Tail. So glad to see that seven years being dead did absolutely nothing for your etiquette,” one said. 

Gray crossed his arms and glared at them. God, he fucking hated the council. “If you’re not going to tell me, I’ll just leave.” 

“Why were you here?” one member asked. “Out in some backwater village, where you happened to discover the brutalized remains of someone with ancient books on demons in their house?” 

“Well, obviously, you’ve heard how we’ve recently come back from the dead,” he drawled. “We came out here to reconnect with my friend’s father, that man. And we discovered him like  _ that. _ Care to tell me why?” 

“Why do you think we know?” 

His lip curled up in the beginnings of a snarl. “There’s a reason you jackasses high tailed it out here so quickly. You sure as hell have never showed up so fast when  _ we _ called on you for some reason. You know something about this. It’s why you’re so twitchy, ain’t it? You thinkin’ about pinning it on us?” 

One of the members pinched the bridge of her nose. “Seven years was nowhere near long enough.” 

“You have no right to be demanding information about an ongoing investigation,” another snapped. 

“Ah. So this is connected to something else, huh?” He wasn’t surprised. Obviously it was. There was no reason for the magic council to be out here if it wasn’t. 

One of the members smirked. “Your feral guild isn’t going to last more than a few months with your outstanding debts, even with their favorite attack dogs back, so I would advise not running your mouth, Fullbuster. It won’t be long before you don’t have the protection of guild laws and you’ll be rogue magic users.” 

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Gray mocked before scoffing. “How many times have you bastards dragged us through the mud, or hell, even arrested us and put us on trial? Obviously, you’ve tried every trick in the book to get rid of us, but we’ve been working your system for years. Now seriously, why the hell are you here?” 

“You can’t honestly believe we’re going to tell you anything,” one sneered. 

Gray shrugged. “Just thought I’d ask. But now I know you  _ are _ hiding something.” 

* * *

“You wish to enter the Grand Magic Games?” the Master asked. 

Erza nodded eagerly. “It would be a great way to earn the money we owe in one fell swoop, since we aren’t going to get well paying jobs until we bolster our reputation once again. Which competing would also aid in.” 

He hummed and crossed his arms. “I spoke to Macao briefly about them soon after we returned. He cautioned against the idea, since he figured you lot would be chomping at the bit to prove yourselves.”

She slammed her hand down on the desk. “We’re going to enter! We can win!” 

“Do you even know about any of the rules? What the Games actually entail? They’re only a month away, Erza,” he said. “Will that be enough time to prepare?” 

“We can do it,” she insisted. “And we have to try  _ something. _ We can’t just let this continue. Our debts getting larger, especially when there’s not any work.” 

He smiled. “I assumed you would want to enter, so I looked into the rules regarding the games. Guilds can enter two teams of five. We need to fill out the registration forms as soon as possible. Ten members, as well as two alternates for each team. You’ve always been good at this kind of thing, so I’m making you the captain of one of the teams. You can choose the other, and then you’ll both pick your teammates and alternates.” 

She nodded. “Of course, Master.” She already had a good idea of who to put in charge of the second team. 

* * *

“Laxus!” Erza waved him down as soon as he returned to the guildhall. “I need to talk to you!” 

“Huh? The hell do you want, Scarlet?” he asked. 

She grabbed his hand and pulled him after her. “Come with me. We need to start planning our teams.” 

“Our what?” he demanded. “You mean Salamander and Fullbuster? I’ve already got the Thunder Legion.” 

She shook her head. “No. Our teams for the Grand Magic Games.” She sat him down at a table in a dark corner. “We need to figure out who’s on whose teams. We should try and divide evenly, so both teams have a decent shot.” 

“I still don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he muttered. 

“It’s a competition between guilds. If we win, we’re back on top, and we get a lot of money,” she explained. “We’re allowed to enter two teams.” She held her hand to her chest. “I’m the captain of one, and you’re the captain of the other.” 

“I did not agree to that,” he said. 

Erza frowned. “Well… No… But I was hoping you would do it?” Of course, she had a couple people in mind in case Laxus declined, but she hoped not. He was a powerful wizard, and considering the way he could reign in the Thunder Legion, not a bad leader. 

“Why?” 

Oh, so he was going to make her say it, then? “You’re powerful, and with you on one of our teams, we’ll stand a much higher chance of winning. And I figure you’re enough of a hardhead that you won’t be on one unless you’re in charge.” 

Laxus rolled his eyes and scoffed. 

“Will you do it?” she asked. If not, her next option was either Mirajane or Levy. They needed team leaders who could consider strategy, and unfortunately, planning ahead wasn’t exactly a lot of Fairy Tail members’ strong suits. 

“I have to admit, I don’t like us bein’ at the bottom of things. It ain’t natural,” Laxus said. 

Erza nodded. “Good. We need to choose our teams. The Master needs to fill out the paperwork for us, and we need to begin training. We have a month.” 

Laxus hummed. “How many?” 

“Counting us, five on each team, and two alternates,” she said. “And like I said, we need to divvy up members evenly between the teams. Don’t put all the heaviest hitters on one. It’s not a good strategy.” 

He gave her a look. “I assume you want Salamander and Fullbuster?” 

She nodded. “I fight well with them, should a team battle come up at some point.” 

“Then I want Mirajane,” he said. 

Erza nearly whined, but she  _ was _ the one to say they needed to divide the teams fairly. “Okay, fine.” 

“And Freed,” he said. Then he frowned. “What about Gildarts?” 

Erza shook her head. “He’s already leaving for another quest. I asked the Master about him. Everyone else is fair game though.” 

He glanced around the guildhall, before letting out a breath. “Obviously, I’d like the rest of the Thunder Legion on my team, but I haven’t been around lately. You know who the most powerful are.” 

Erza gnawed at her lip. She supposed he had a point. “Obviously, there’s Wendy and Gajeel. You’re a slayer, too, so I guess you’d understand how powerful they are. Juvia Lockser can be a real powerhouse, too, when she tries. There’s Cana and Loke. Elfman, Levy, and of course, Evergreen and Bixlow.” 

“Take the other two slayers,” he said. 

“Huh?” 

“Salamander’s little brat of a sister, and that bitchy punk,” he said. “There, you’ve got your team.” 

Erza leaned back in her chair. Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Gajeel, and herself. That wasn’t bad at all. “With Loke and Levy as alternates?” 

“Take ‘em,” he said. “Levy’s useless in a fight with that leg, and I’ve got plenty of brains with Freed.” 

Erza nodded. “Good. And the rest of your team?” 

He shook his head. “I told you. I don’t know everyone’s power levels anymore. You pick, so long as I get Mirajane and Freed.” 

She tapped her fingers against the table. “In that case, I suggest Juvia and Cana for your other team members, with Elfman and Evergreen as alternates.” Juvia was powerful, and though Cana could be a little… unpredictable, Erza knew she could hold her own. 

“Sounds good to me,” he said. “And a month to train?” 

She nodded. 

“I’m takin’ my team to train,” he said. “Somewhere else, without distractions.” 

“That might actually be a good idea,” she mused. Magic was bound to have gotten better over the years. They needed to become stronger, as well as improve their teamwork. Not that her, Natsu, and Gray had many issues in that department, but they needed to fit Wendy and Gajeel in. Not to mention Loke and Levy, should they have to compete as well. They’d rarely fought close with them. “I’ll probably do the same.” She didn’t like the idea of being separated from Mirajane for so long, but it couldn’t be helped. They needed to do whatever it took to win. 

“Right.” He stood back up. “Guess we’ll get on that as soon as Lockser and Alberona are back.” 

Erza grinned. “Guess I better go talk to the slayers.” 

* * *

Cana wasn’t really sure what she was expecting from Lucy’s father, but this tired old man certainly wasn’t it. He looked so  _ frail, _ like she could flick him and he’d fall over. 

Then again, he’d just come face to face with the daughter who he’d thought was dead for seven years, and before that, had basically told him to go to hell and never speak to her again. That was probably a little shocking. “Lucy?” he asked. 

Lucy rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah… not dead. Don’t know if you heard, but they found all of us out on Tenrou a couple days ago. Thought I’d come let you know I was alive.” 

It was so  _ awkward _ in this tiny little study. Cana wasn’t used to awkward. She was too confident to let situations  _ get _ awkward in the first place. Most in Fairy Tail were that way, actually. Or just too stupid to notice something was awkward in the first place. “This sucks,” she said. 

Loke pinched her. “Cana…” he warned.

“What?” she whined. “I’m just callin’ it like I see it.” 

Jude Heartfilia cleared his throat. “And who are your… associates?”

“I’m Cana Alberona, and this is Loke.” She slapped Loke on the back. “Members of Fairy Tail, and Lucy’s partners.” 

Lucy stiffened. 

“You work together?” her father asked. 

She let out a little breath, “Yes.” 

Cana winced as she realized her mistake. Lucy had never said _not_ to tell her father they were dating, but she doubted this was the time or the place for him to find out. Especially since Cana had no idea how he would react to his daughter dating two people, and that one of them was a woman. Wizard guilds didn’t care about that kind of thing, but she knew sometimes other people weren’t okay with that, especially those in older generations. 

“I have to admit,” he said after a few more minutes of that hellish awkward silence. “That I never expected to see you again, after your last visit. Even when you were alive.” 

“I  _ am _ alive,” she said. “I was not dead. At all. And I don’t intend to maintain a relationship with you. I just decided to be nice enough to tell you I’m fine myself, rather than let you find out Fairy Tail is back by word of mouth, or something.” 

“Fairy Tail…” he mused. “I can’t say I approve of the group.” 

Cana snarled and tried to march forward, but Loke held her back. “Lucy said she wanted to handle this herself,” he muttered. 

“Well, I don’t care,” Lucy said as she crossed her arms. “I like it there. And besides,  _ you’re _ the one who insisted I cultivate my magic as a child. You really should have expected me to want to join a guild, and for me to rebel when you refused to let me.” 

He frowned. “Guilds are not good places, and Fairy Tail is one of the worst.” 

“Oh fuck  _ off!” _ Cana shouted, unable to contain herself any more. “She’s twenty years old! That’s plenty old enough to make her own decisions. Besides, you’re a bitch! The hell do you know about our guild?” 

Lucy drug her hands down her face. “Oh… Cana…” 

Her father glared at Cana like she’d just proved his point. 

Lucy groaned and shook her head. “I should have known this was useless. Come on. Let’s go.” She turned to leave. “If you ever decide you even want to  _ tolerate _ the way that I live my life, let me know, and maybe I’ll consider meeting with you again.” 

Cana flipped him off as they left. 

* * *

“Natsu! Wendy! Gajeel!” Erza called as she entered their house. “Where have you been all day?” She yelped and dove out of the way as a tree branch was launched towards the front door. “What the hell!?” 

“Sorry!” Wendy called as she leaned around the corner. “Didn’t realize you’d come in, Miss Erza. Are you looking for Miss Lisanna? She’s in the living room.” 

She shook her head. Why was Lisanna here? “Why are you throwing tree branches?” 

Wendy sighed. “A tree grew in through the window in Gajeel’s room, and we’re working on getting the branches broken off.” 

“Ah.” The house was looking a little worse for wear, though small sections of it were spotless. So they’d been home cleaning all day. “Well, I have something to discuss with you and your brothers. I think Natsu and Gajeel will especially like it.” 

“A job?” she asked. 

“No, not exactly.” She stepped out of the entryway and into the living room. “What are you doing, Lisanna?” 

She shrugged. “I was curious as to why none of them had come to the guildhall today. They’ve been cleaning.” Then she frowned. “Sort of. They’re very good at getting distracted.” 

Erza chuckled. Natsu’s attention span was something of a disaster, and Gajeel’s wasn’t much better, depending on what it was he was trying to focus on. 

“Natsu! Gajeel!” Wendy called “Miss Erza’s here to talk to us! It sounds important!” 

A few seconds later, Natsu and Gajeel stepped into the living room. “Whatcha need, Erz?” Natsu asked. 

Gajeel shook his head. “There’s too many damn people in my house…” he muttered. 

Erza decided to make this as quick as possible. Now that her own sense of smell had heightened, she began to understand the slayers’ odd reactions to scents. It didn’t bother her in the same way, but she knew how territorial they were, so it made sense that they didn’t want their things smelling like other people. She knew that Natsu didn’t care if things smelled like her, and Wendy usually didn’t either, but she wasn’t close with Gajeel. She didn’t want to overstay her welcome. “We’ll talk in more detail about it tomorrow, but I wanted to go ahead and inform you, and make sure you wanted to, though I doubt that will be an issue.” 

“Oh!” Natsu perked up. “Is this about those Grand Magic Games? Lis came over to tell us!” 

Erza nodded. “Yes. I got permission from the Master. We’re going to enter, two teams, actually.” 

Gajeel grinned. “We’re gonna fight other guilds?” 

“Yes!” Erza exclaimed, unable to stop herself from smiling as well. She could admit, it would be exciting to fight those outside of their guild that weren’t actively trying to kill them. “You three are on my team, along with Gray.” 

Natsu and Gajeel bumped their fists together. “Hell yeah,” Natsu said. 

“Me too?” Wendy squeaked. 

“Of course,” Erza said. “You’re one of our most powerful wizards, Wendy. Unless, of course, you don’t want to. I won’t make you.” 

Wendy wildly shook her head. “No, no! I want to!” 

“Two teams?” Lisanna asked. “Who’s on the other one?” 

Erza counted the members off on her fingers. “Laxus, Mira, Freed, Cana, and Juvia. Plus Evergreen and Elfman as their alternates. Speaking of which, we’ll have Loke and Levy.” 

“Those are some intense teams,” Lisanna said. “There’s no way we could loose with that!” 

Erza agreed, though she knew winning wouldn’t be easy. Fairy Tail didn’t often work with other guilds, but she knew they were filled with powerful wizards. “As soon as Gray and Loke are back, we’re leaving for training.” 

* * *

“So Fairy Tail’s back,” Sting said. “That means _they’re_ back.” 

Rogue hummed. 

“Come on.” Sting nudged him. “Admit it’s a little exciting. We thought they were  _ dead.” _

Rogue shrugged. “What does it matter? We barely even remember them at this point.” 

Sting sighed. He supposed that was true. They’d just been little kids when they lost their family, when Weisslogia and Skiadrum convinced them to kill them, and Gajeel, Wendy, Natsu, and the other dragons vanished. It’d been  _ fifteen years _ since then. 

They didn’t know their siblings any better than any other random person in Fiore. “Think Fairy Tail will try entering the Grand Magic Games now that their heavy hitters are back?” 

“You wanna fight them?” Rogue asked with a smirk. 

“‘Course I do!” Sting exclaimed. “What better way is there to prove that we’re better? Besides, they ain’t even human anymore, nothing like the people we knew. They’re nothing but old ties to our past.” 

“That’s unusually dark for you,” he said. 

Sting leaned back, interlocking his fingers behind his head. “Well, what can I say. Maybe Sabertooth has rubbed off on me. Or maybe it was you.” 

Rogue scoffed. “Just don’t get too carried away.  _ If _ they enter, the Master and Lady Minerva would not be pleased if we let personal feelings towards an enemy hinder us.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Sting wasn’t dumb enough to hold back against his siblings if they really did get to fight. He didn’t really  _ want _ to hold back.

He was excited. 


	5. Human, but Slightly to the Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza and Laxus's teams set out for training, and Erza's team has a talk about their lack of humanity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk how the hell this chapter got so long, but hey, I'm not complaining. I hope you all enjoy it

“You’re just gonna  _ leave _ me?” Lucy demanded. 

Loke shrugged. “Erza’s orders, babe.” He wasn’t about to go against the maniac. Not when she was obviously so excited about this. Or maybe excited wasn’t the right word. Maybe it was  _ determined, _ or  _ hellbent.  _

“I think this entire guild forgets that you’re my spirit sometimes,” she complained, shaking her head. Then she turned to Cana. “What about you? You’re unusually quiet about this.” 

“Ah.” Cana took a sip from her booze. “That’s ‘cause Laxus recruited me. I’m gonna be stuck with that bastard for a month.” 

Lucy whined. “So you’re  _ both _ leaving?” 

“Yep,” Cana said. 

“Unfortunately,” Loke added. Honestly, he didn’t really understand why Erza had chosen him for her team, even if he was just backup in case someone was taken out of commission. They didn’t know each other very well. He would much rather stay back with Lucy, but… even if she  _ was _ his master now, he still owed a lot to Fairy Tail. If they wanted him to compete for them, he wasn’t going to turn them down. 

“Great.” She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair with a groan. “Just great.” 

Cana slapped her back. “Maybe you’ll finally make some other friends.” 

“I’m friends with Levy, and maybe Mirajane… but aren’t they going too?” She shook her head. “And you’re one to talk about having an abundance of friends.” 

Cana rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” 

“We’ll be back before you know it,” Loke assured her. “It’s just a month.” 

* * *

At first, Juvia had wanted nothing more than quiet when they returned to the guildhall. She wanted to be left alone, to grieve and to think, but as soon as her and Gray walked through the door, they were ambushed by Erza. 

Gray tried to calm her down, and tell her this wasn’t the time, but she blazed right past everything he said. Juvia wasn’t sure she had even registered what came out of his mouth. She told them about the guild's plans to enter the Grand Magic Games, what exactly that meant, as well as the teams that had been chosen. She wanted them all to leave for a month to  _ train.  _

Again, Gray tried to protest, for her sake, but she interrupted. “That sounds good,” she said. “So I’m with Laxus?” 

Erza nodded. 

“Juvia—” he began. 

She shook her head. “No. This is something to do. Something to distract me. I want to do this.” 

He frowned. “If you’re sure…” 

“I am.” She just wanted to think about  _ anything _ other than the brutalized remains of her father. She knew this wouldn’t help forever, that eventually she was going to break down if she didn’t try to deal with this, but that was a problem for another day. “When are we leaving?” 

“Right now,” Erza said. “Everyone was just waiting on you two to get back.” She grabbed Gray’s hand. “Come on.” 

“Wait—” 

“No! We don’t have time to waste!” Erza dragged him out of the guildhall. 

“I’ll see you in a month!” Juvia called. She felt a twinge of irritation towards Erza that she knew didn’t belong to her. She’d been feeling Gray’s emotions a lot over the past few days, but it still didn’t seem to be mutual yet. 

She sighed, and turned to go find Laxus and the rest of her group. She wanted to get started. 

She wanted to get stronger, because she was too weak right now. She’d just barely defeated Meredy, and then she’d let Zeref get away, all while everyone else had been fighting enemy after enemy. 

She wasn’t good enough. 

And now her father was dead, torn apart by what could only be a demon. No other creature was that vicious with its kills. 

She had to be strong enough to kill them all. They’d taken her mother, her father, and who knew who else. 

Demons could not be allowed to roam Fiore any longer. 

She would follow in her parents footsteps, finish what they had started. She would kill every demon that dared to step foot in Fiore. 

* * *

“Oh, that’s awful,” Wendy said as she covered her mouth with her hands. “Is Miss Juvia okay?” 

Gray shrugged. “I can’t imagine so, but there’s not a lot to do about that.” 

Wendy jumped as a loud, guttural snarl ripped from Gajeel’s chest. Natsu stiffened and shot him a wary glance, while Levy squeaked. 

“Uh… you good, man?” Loke asked. 

“I’m gonna kill whatever did that,” he said, and Levy had to strain to understand him through the snarl. 

“You and me both,” Gray muttered darkly. “And then the damn council’s next.” 

“You really think they know what it was?” Erza asked. 

“They were definitely hiding something,” he said. “And we all know every single member is a shifty bastard.” 

Levy was inclined to agree. She’d dealt with the council a lot over the years, as she was one of the few Fairy Tail members who could keep a level head in those types of situations, and Gray was right. Most of them were on the council for purely personal reasons, and each member had more secrets than the last. If so many of them had gotten out to the murder scene that quickly, something was definitely up. 

“Still…” Wendy said. “Poor Miss Juvia. Do you think someone else should compete?” 

Erza shook her head. “She seemed rather insistent that she wanted to do this.” 

Gajeel’s snarl finally faded away. “She’s distractin’ herself. That’s what she does.” 

Levy frowned. Juvia was bound to slip up if she decided to do this with pent up emotions and feelings like that. Not to mention she was only going to make herself feel worse, in the long run. “Maybe Evergreen or Elfman  _ should _ take over for her.” 

Erza shook her head. “That’s Laxus’s call. We’ve got nothing to do with their team.” 

“Still can’t believe you put Laxus in charge,” Natsu huffed as he crossed his arms. 

“What, as opposed to you?” Gray asked. “The day you’re in charge of anything is the day I quit this godforsaken guild because that’s how I know you’ve all finally lost it.” 

Natsu growled, tensing up, but before he could pounce on Gray, Erza hissed, “Knock it off. You’ll have plenty of time to spar over the next few weeks.” 

Levy chuckled. She had to admit, it was nice to see them acting like everything was perfectly normal. Like they hadn’t just missed seven years, or been to hell and back on Tenrou. Especially the slayers. Having to fight like that, channel so much power, and then face that dragon… 

“I still don’t understand why we’re here,” Loke said as he gestured to himself and Levy. “We don’t technically even have to compete.” 

“You might,” Erza said. 

Loke scoffed. “Please. Like you guys would let one of us step in even if you got your limbs torn off.” 

Levy still couldn’t believe  _ she _ was chosen, by Erza, no less. It was like being selected for the S-Class exam all over again. 

She could only hope that this turned out a little better than that had. 

* * *

Erza decided to have everyone train in the middle of the woods, about a two day’s walk from Magnolia. She thought it might be best to stay away from civilization if they were going to be pushing their powers to the brink. Natsu was thrilled to be camping out in the woods, but everyone else… not so much. 

“I should have known this was going to suck as soon as you told me to bring a sleeping bag…” Gray grumbled. 

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” Wendy said as she pressed against Gajeel’s side. “Camping always reminds me of living with the dragons.” 

“You guys didn’t actually live outside, did you?” Loke asked, seemingly horrified by the idea. 

Wendy shrugged. “We had a cave we slept in, when the weather got bad, but most nights we slept outside. Weisslogia liked to stargaze.” 

“And you all really liked that?” Levy asked. 

“It was great!” Natsu exclaimed as he finished getting their fire started. 

Gajeel scoffed. “Easy for you to say. Igneel was a fucking furnace. Metalicana was always freezin’ thanks to those damn metal scales.” 

Wendy poked at his side. “You didn’t even sleep with Metalicana most nights. You rotated around with the rest of us.” 

“Yeah! ‘Cause he was fucking freezing!” he argued. 

Erza chuckled and shook her head. Gajeel really was something else. Even after knowing him for over six months now, she still couldn’t figure him out. He was so  _ mean, _ but somehow… not, at the same time. “Well, it’s the middle of summer right now,” she said. “So everyone should be plenty warm. And a good thing, too, since I expect everyone up by sunrise.” 

Natsu threw his head back and whined. “Erza!” 

“No arguing,” she said. 

“You and your stupid schedules,” he muttered under his breath,  _ clearly _ having forgotten that her hearing had improved. 

“What was that?” she asked. 

He stiffened, eyes going wide. “N-Nothing.” 

“Uh huh…” She turned her head away, deciding to let it slide. Then she remembered a question she’d been meaning to ask for a while. “Hey Levy, what’s a Faerie? Gajeel said you mentioned I looked like one now.” 

“Oh!” Levy scooted a little closer to the fire they were all clustered around. “They’re creatures from old myths, from way before Fiore was even founded. Used to, magic was worshipped as a god, they thought there was a being that controlled all of it, and just allowed wizards to use it. Sometimes, if magic thought a wizard was worthy, it would grant them a stronger connection to magic. Basically, they became a person perfectly blended with magic. People called them Faeries. What you look like now matches pretty much all the old art and descriptions I’ve seen of them.” 

“You think I’m one of these Faeries?” Erza asked. 

“Well I don’t know about that,” Levy said hastily. “There’s not exactly proof they were ever actually real in the first place.” She stared hard into the fire. “Though I admit, the resemblance to the stories is uncanny. It’s almost funny. People call you Titania, and she was one of the most famous Faeries in the legends.” 

“Oh, I’ve heard of Titania!” Loke exclaimed. “She was a queen, a long time ago. Like, a thousand years, or something. I think it was Aquarius who worked for one of the wizards under her command? I’m not sure.” 

“You could answer so many questions if you ever actually paid attention to things, you know that, right?” Gray drawled. 

Loke shrugged. “Look, at the time, I’m sure I was busy with something myself.” 

“What about that voice you heard?” Wendy asked. “When this happened to you? Could that have been this… magic entity?” 

“Voice?” Levy asked. 

Erza nodded. “When this happened, a voice said it was going to grant me power.” 

“Huh…” Levy held her finger to her chin. “Maybe you really are a Faerie.” 

“Hey, Levy!” Natsu exclaimed. “I’m just realizin,’ you’re the only human one here!” 

She rubbed the back of her neck. “I suppose so. But really, you’re all very close to human, too.” 

Erza glanced around the circle, from the dragon slayers with their sharp teeth and weird instincts, to Gray with his markings, to Loke, who just felt  _ different. _ “Human but slightly to the left,” she said. 

“Huh?” Natsu asked. 

“Our bodies have human bases, though some of ours have been drastically changed. We can interact with humans on the same level, but there’s something about us that just isn’t right, as far as humanity is concerned. It’s too different. Actual humans can sense it,” she said. She knew she could feel the difference between herself and Natsu and Gray, before she had transformed. “Human, but slightly to the left. Human, but just a little  _ off.”  _

Gray rubbed at the white bands on his wrist. “Ah… I don’t like that. Makes us sound like freaks.” 

Natsu waved his clawed fingers in front of Gray’s face. “Think we kind of are.” 

Levy hummed. “That’s actually a very interesting way of thinking about it. Especially because there technically aren’t words for what you are, except for Loke.” 

“Yeah,” Loke interjected. “I’m actually perfectly normal.” 

“The best we could come up with is hybrid,” Levy continued. “Demon hybrid, dragon hybrid, and…” She stared at Erza. “I don’t know, magic hybrid? My point is, that’s not entirely accurate. So yeah. Human, but slightly to the left.” 

“I don’t think we can put that on forms,” Gajeel said. 

“Oh yeah,” Erza realized. “I wonder what the Master put us down as when he registered us? Are there different rules for non-humans?” 

“Hey, some of us can still pass for human,” Wendy pointed out. 

Gajeel ruffled her hair. “Shut up. You’re the minority right now, brat.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Natsu especially,” Erza said. “Maybe,  _ maybe _ Gajeel, Gray, and myself could be passed off as human with just… a few magical enhancements, but that’s not really possible for Natsu.” 

Natsu shrugged. “Eh, who cares? Being human is overrated. ‘Sides, doesn’t matter what you look like, even you, Wendy. None of you  _ feel _ human anymore. Think everyone would notice.” 

“He’s right,” Levy agreed. “You all have very different energies, your presence just  _ feels _ different. Hiding it really isn’t an option.” 

Gray ran a hand through his hair. “God, is it really that obvious?” 

“Yours is actually the least obvious,” Levy said. “But that’s because of your link to Juvia, isn’t it? It keeps you more human.” 

“Ah, yeah, I guess,” he said. 

“Erza only feels different because of her magic,” Loke said. 

“What?” she asked. 

“Oh yeah,” Levy said. “I suspect I feel your lack of humanity because I’m feeling out for it right now, but to anyone else, they just feel your smothering magic now.” 

Erza glanced over to see the dragon slayers nodding in agreement. 

“Huh… well that’s interesting, I suppose,” she said. 

“So you’re saying we’re the most obvious about not being human, eh?” Gajeel asked. 

Levy shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. Your looks don’t help, since that means people are going to be feeling for differences because of them, making it easy for them to pick up on your non-human presence. Then there’s all your weird instincts, on top of that. Gray and Erza don’t really seem to have those. At least, not nearly as badly, anyways.” 

“God, we’re weird,” Gajeel said. 

Wendy and Natsu hummed in agreement. 

“Oh, wow, you’re actually admitting it?” Gray asked. “Never heard that in my life.” 

Natsu and Gajeel growled at him. 

Wendy sighed. “You two could at least try to act normal?” 

“Yeah, speaking of that,” Loke said. “Why  _ do _ you act so normal, Wendy? ‘Cause from what I remember, Natsu was always a weirdo, even before all…  _ this.”  _

“I’m not that weird!” Natsu argued. 

Actually, now that Loke had mentioned it, Wendy never  _ had _ acted as much like a dragon as Natsu had. Sure, she had her moments, but they were never as intense, or as often. “Yes, why is that?” Erza asked.

Wendy giggled. “It’s because Natsu never tried  _ not _ to act like a dragon. Gajeel either.” 

“God, brat, it sounds real bad when you say it like that,” Gajeel grumbled. 

Natsu began to blush. “Well you know! When I made that decision I lived with dragons! Not my fault!” 

“Hold on,” Gray said. “You’re sayin’ you had some kind of choice to be like this?” 

Gajeel grimaced. “Kind of? Metalicana was kinda pushy, though. Don’t think he woulda liked it if I picked the other option.” 

“What do you mean?” Levy asked. 

Wendy patted Gajeel and Natsu’s shoulders. “Well, when we were first taught our dragon slayer magic, the dragons told us it would make us think more like them, act more like them.” 

Erza nodded. They all knew that. 

“But, if we didn’t want that, we could fight off the instincts, and then it was unlikely that they’d ever completely take us over,” she explained. “It doesn’t work perfectly, obviously. I’m still a lot more like a dragon than any of you, but I still think and act mostly human, and am a lot better at controlling myself when I was to, say... scent someone.” She grinned at her brothers. “Well, these two decided they didn’t even want to try being human. As soon as the instincts first started appearing in them, they never tried to resist them, and by this point, it’s basically impossible for them, because they literally don’t know how.” 

“Geez, Wendy…” Natsu said. “Gajeel’s right. It sounds fucking terrible phrased like that.” 

“Hey, that’s just what you guys decided,” she said with a shrug. “I never said it was a bad thing.” 

“Wait…” Gray said, holding his hand up. “You’re telling me… that you guys were told you were going to act like dragons if you didn’t stop it, and you both decided, ‘Hell yeah, sign me the fuck up, I want to act like a dragon?’ You’re both ridiculous.” He shook his head. 

“I was eight!” Natsu exclaimed. “It was normal when you lived with dragons!” 

“That’s actually fascinating,” Levy said. “I mean, I always knew dragon slayer magic had psychological effects, obviously. But the fact that you willingly allowed your minds to be changed like that, it’s incredible!” 

“It’s weird,” Loke said. 

Gajeel and Natsu exchanged a look. “Not that weird…” Natsu muttered. 

Gajeel just rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well I think the stupid way you normal people react to things is weird. So fuck off. Makes no damn sense. How the hell do you  _ not care _ if your stuff doesn’t smell like you?” 

“Just to be clear, because Natsu mentioned this once, ‘stuff’ includes people, right?” Gray asked. 

“Yeah,” Gajeel said, like it was perfectly obvious. 

Erza rubbed at the crook of her neck, the spot that Natsu liked to scent most often. Of course, she knew what it meant, she always had. He’d made sure she knew it before he did it for the first time, wanting to make sure she was okay with it, but it was odd hearing it talked about like this, like smelling like him made her his  _ property.  _ She knew that wasn’t what it meant to the slayers, not really, but they didn’t know how to phrase it any other way. “Alright, so you all claim each other, obviously,” she said. 

The slayers nodded. 

“And Natsu claims Gray and I, as well,” she continued. 

“Yeah, you know that,” Natsu said. 

“Right. So… what’s the criteria for getting claimed like that?” she asked. “Love?” 

Gajeel shot a wary glance towards Levy, who was very intrigued by the conversation. “No—” he began. 

“Oh, shut up, Gajeel,” Wendy interrupted. “Yes, it’s love. People you’re very close with, and that you accept no matter what. It’s a strong bond. We’re very picky with it, which is why we don’t go around scenting just anyone, even if we care about them.” 

“Aw, I didn’t know you cared, Flamebrain,” Gray teased. 

Natsu looked away. “Shut up!” 

“Yeah, let’s talk about something else,” Gajeel grumbled as he stared at the ground. 

Erza had to bite back her laughter. “No, no. I’m very interested in this.” It was hard to get Natsu embarrassed. He just didn’t care enough about what people thought about him for it to work, so if her and Gray ever found a way, they weren’t just going to  _ let it go. _ Gajeel was a nice little added bonus. “You scent Lisanna, too, don’t you?” 

Natsu’s cheeks burned bright red. “How did you know about that!?” he demanded. 

Erza snorted. “Please. She smelled so much like you the last time I saw her.” 

“Wait, so can you tell who spends time around who all the time?” Loke asked. 

“If you’re asking if we can tell when you and your girlfriends bang, yes, unfortunately, we can,” Gajeel said. 

“Ah.” Loke leaned back. “Fantastic.” 

“Wait, even Wendy can?” Levy asked. 

Wendy’s cheeks were an even brighter red than Natsu’s. “Yeah…” 

“Oh my god!” she gasped. 

“But that’s not the same thing as scenting!” Wendy exclaimed, obviously trying to change the subject. “And no, normal people don’t… can’t? I don’t know. But they don’t scent each other.” 

“Well, yeah,” Gray said. “We don’t care enough to do it. Can’t smell it.” 

“It’s not just being unable to smell it though,” Levy said. “Because Erza can smell it now but she doesn’t scent people. Do you?” 

She shook her head. She hadn’t had that urge at all. 

“Because it’s a dragon thing!” Wendy said. 

“Brat, I’m gonna throw you across the clearing if you keep talking about  _ dragon things,” _ Gajeel muttered. 

“Dragons scent things, and people, to show to other dragons who they belong to,” Wendy continued, completely ignoring the comment. She seemed to be enjoying embarrassing her brothers as well. “So there’s two main reasons we actually scent you.” 

“Don’t you dare!” Gajeel growled. 

“One, is because we care about you,” she said. “Our scents on each other make us feel better. Now, obviously we know you guys can’t smell it, but our instincts don’t really care. Part of our brains think our scents on you can help calm you down, make you more relaxed, feel safer, that kind of thing. The second is to claim you, and ward off other dragons. Miss Erza, Mister Gray, that’s why I’ve never really scented you, even though we’re very close. You're  _ Natsu’s, _ so I’m not allowed to scent you. Only reason the three of us scent each other is because we’re siblings.” 

“Huh…” Erza had always wondered about that, why Wendy had never actually rubbed up against them like Natsu had. She’d never asked though. She had always figured if they wanted to explain, they would. That, or they just didn’t know. “Interesting.” 

“Wait, Gajeel, you scent me,” Levy said. 

“Yeah…” Gajeel said as he shot Wendy a glare. “Y’er just so tiny, feel like I gotta keep you safe. Other people smell me on ya and they’ll leave you alone.” 

“But they can’t smell it,” she pointed out. 

“Well it makes  _ me _ feel better!” he snapped, before he began blushing as well. 

Levy’s eyes widened. “Oh…” 

Gajeel hissed in Wendy’s ear, “I’m gonna kill you.” 

Wendy just smirked at him. 

“Okay,” Erza said. This was all very fascinating, and she wondered why they had never asked the dragon slayers about dragon etiquette and instincts before. Not only was it interesting, but it might have helped them understand the odd things that they did. “So say I wanted to scent Gray. Could I do that?” Obviously, she didn’t want to, but she wondered if Natsu would allow it. 

“Nuh uh,” Gray said. “Natsu rubbing his face on me constantly is enough. You’re not about to start, too.” 

Natsu waved her off. “I don’t care. You’re both mine, and my scent’s gonna be the most dominant anyways. It’s why you smellin’ like Mira’s never bothered me.” 

“Most dominant?” she asked. 

“Strongest, I guess,” he said. “Don’t know if it’s ‘cause I’m a dragon, or ‘cause I actually  _ scent _ you, while other people just spend time around you. But Mira’s scent is a little below mine.” 

“What?” Natsu was god awful at explaining things. 

“So Natsu scents you,” Wendy said. “Rubs his face and neck on you. That’s  _ designed  _ to make you smell like him. Miss Mirajane doesn’t do that. You may cuddle or…” She coughed. “Do  _ other _ things, and that gets her scent to rub off on you, but it’s just not the same. So when I smell you, first, I get Natsu’s scent. Then Miss Mirajane’s, and then Mister Gray’s, though his is faint compared to theirs. And Mister Gray, I smell you, and I get Natsu, then Miss Erza and Miss Juvia, though theirs is at about the same level.” 

“So Gajeel is the first person you smell on me?” Levy asked. 

Wendy nodded. “Yep!” 

“Actually, yeah, now that she mentioned it, she’s right,” Loke said. “You all smell like fucking dragon.  _ You _ don’t really smell like  _ them, _ though.” He pointed from the slayers to Erza, Gray, and Levy. 

“Because they don’t scent us,” Natsu said. 

Erza hummed. “Would you like us to?” 

“...What?” he asked. 

“Well Wendy said it can be comforting, so… would it make you all feel better if we scented you?” she asked. 

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess? But I don’t want you to if it makes you uncomfortable. Kinda defeats the whole purpose.” 

Natsu’s odd habits didn’t make her uncomfortable, they never had, really. But one look at Gray and Levy made her realize that they definitely didn’t want to try scenting the slayers, so she said, “Ah, okay. I understand.” And she let it go, though perhaps she would ask Natsu if he wanted her to scent him later, when they weren’t around and would feel pressured into it. 

“I never knew it was such a big deal,” Levy said as she poked at the fire with a stick. “I just thought it was something you  _ did, _ you know?” 

Wendy nodded vigorously. “Oh just wait until they start dating people because that’s when dragons get really—” 

_ “Wendy!”  _ Natsu exclaimed. 

Gajeel grabbed her and slammed his hand over her mouth. “Alright, that’s enough of that.” 

Gray smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Oh you have to know we’re not just going to let that go.” 

Loke leaned forward, very interested. “Come on, I gotta know. You’re all so weird anyways, might as well get it all out there.” 

Wendy finally pried Gajeel’s hand off her mouth. “Licking and biting, that kind of thing. I didn’t get the  _ whole _ talk though, because I was younger.” She grinned at Gajeel and Natsu. “I can’t even imagine the hell you had to sit through with Igneel and Metalicana.” 

“I’m gonna kill you,” Gajeel said through gritted teeth. 

“Ah, kinky,” Loke said. “I’m sure you can find someone into that kind of thing, eventually, so don’t give up hope.” 

Natsu covered his face with his hands. “Please don’t call it kinky. It’s really… not…” 

Erza couldn’t help but laugh. “Natsu, I’m sure Lisanna won’t mind.” 

He groaned and threw his head back. “That’s not even the main issue here.” 

“Wait, so you guys really bite and lick at people you wanna date?” Gray asked. 

Gajeel glared at Wendy, but sighed and resigned himself to the question. “It’s not… really like  _ that. _ Part of it’s a scent thing, it’s stronger than just regular scenting… But we don’t even know if we’re gonna react that way,” he said with a wary glance towards Levy, who was weirdly fascinated by the topic. “Metalicana wasn’t sure.” 

“Well have you ever before?” Loke asked. 

“Excuse me?” Gajeel demanded. 

The celestial spirit smirked. “Come on. We all know you’re not a virgin.” 

Gajeel snarled. “Look, it’s not a sex thing! I’ve never fucked anyone I’ve actually  _ cared _ about.” 

“Gajeel!” Levy scolded. “Wendy is  _ right here.”  _

“It’s okay,” Wendy said, though her blush was back. “Like I said before, I can tell when people have… you know… so it’s not like I don’t  _ know.”  _

“Still,” Levy sighed. 

“Okay, but you’ve bit me before,” Gray pointed out to Natsu. “And I  _ know _ you don’t like me that way.” 

“Yeah, but that was fightin!’” Natsu exclaimed. “It’s completely different!” 

Erza shrugged. “Sometimes Mira and I bite each other, so I don’t see the big deal.” 

Levy squeaked, and Wendy and Natsu’s eyes widened. “Erza, I don’t wanna know that!” Natsu shouted. 

Loke just laughed. “Wow, never would have pegged you as the type.” 

“I’m just saying!” Erza said. 

“Well please don’t say anymore!” Natsu pleaded. 

Gray elbowed her. “Does Mira ever bust out the takeover forms?” he teased. 

Even Erza began to blush at that. “N-No…” 

“Oh my god, she  _ does!”  _ Loke exclaimed before dissolving into a fit of laughter. 

“I know way more about your sex life than I ever wanted to, Scarlet,” Gajeel muttered as he shook his head. 

“Alright, I think that’s enough of that for tonight,” Levy said. 

Natsu nodded. “Yes, please. Enough.” 

Gajeel snickered and patted his shoulder. “You ace bastard…” 

“What bastard?” Natsu asked. 

“We’ll talk later,” Gajeel assured him. 

Erza smiled. She'd wondered a few times herself about Natsu’s sexuality, especially in recent years. He  _ was _ almost twenty, after all, but he always seemed so uncomfortable in any conversation dealing with those types of things, so she’d never wanted to force him to talk about it. Maybe Gajeel could help him figure it out. 

“All I got from this, was that dragon slayers are even weirder than we originally thought,” Gray said. 

Levy laughed. “Human, but slightly to the left.” 

“Human, but slightly to the left,” Erza agreed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Self projecting my sexuality onto my favorite characters? It's more likely than you think. Also I love Wendy being a dick to Natsu and Gajeel. Younger siblings are brats, I know all five of mine are, anyways
> 
> If all goes according to plan, there will be a chapter dedicated to the actual training, and then Jellal and Crime Sorciere will be making their appearance. After that, the Grand Magic Games will begin!


	6. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one really seems to be enjoying their month long training session

“Freed, would you let go of my arm?” Cana asked, her irritation clear in her voice. 

Freed didn’t even acknowledge her, just continued to inspect the glowing runes on her forearm, that were, thankfully, beginning to fade. 

“I mean, can you really blame him?” Mirajane asked. “You just used a spell like  _ that _ without any warning, and then said the First Master’s ghost gave it to you.” 

Cana shrugged, causing Freed to let out an irritated noise as she shifted her arm. “That’s what happened.” 

“We’re not doubting  _ that,”  _ Mirajane said. “We’re confused about  _ what, _ exactly, it is,  _ and _ why you’ve never mentioned it before.” 

Cana hummed and yanked her arm away from Freed. That was enough of that. Maybe she shouldn’t have used Fairy Glitter during a training exercise, but hey, she was tired of Laxus showing them all up and being so damn smug about it. “Look, things have been a little busy recently. I kinda forgot about it.” 

_ “Forgot?”  _ Evergreen demanded. 

“Yeah.” Cana stuck her tongue out at her. “Forgot. Besides, it takes a lot out of me.” Unlike the first time she’d used to spell, she hadn’t passed out, but she definitely felt very fatigued. “Unless I get used to it, if it doesn’t take down an enemy in one shot, I’m screwed.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Laxus said as he nudged Freed aside. “But why did the First Master give something like that to  _ you?” _

She grinned and crossed her arms across her chest. “Maybe I’m her favorite.” 

“Yeah, I kinda doubt that,” Mirajane said. “Did you recognize any of the markings, Freed?” 

Freed shook his head. “No. Well, other than realizing that they’re very old, no.” 

“How old we talkin?’” Laxus asked. 

“A thousand years, perhaps?” 

“Holy shit!” Evergreen shoved her way into the circle surrounding Cana, trying to catch a glimpse of the runes before they faded away for good. “Seriously?” 

“I can’t say for sure,” Freed answered. “Next time you use it, let me try and copy some of them down.” 

“Yeah, whatever.” Cana shoved her way past them, tired of them crowding her. It was just some old spell, and the only reason she got it was because she happened to find the First Master’s grave in the midst of that whole disaster. She was sure had it been anyone else, they would have gotten it as well. 

“I want you to practice with that everyday!” Laxus told her as she stalked away. “I want you to blast someone out of the stadium with that spell.” 

Cana waved him off. “Gotcha.” 

“Though maybe don’t practice it on us,” Mirajane suggested. 

Cana snickered as she spared Elfman and Juvia a glance, still sprawled across the ground in the same positions they had been in when Fairy Glitter knocked them unconscious. “Sure.” 

“I’m  _ serious,” _ Mirajane stressed. 

Cana glanced over her shoulder. “I said ‘sure,’ I don’t know what else you want from me.” Then she grinned. “I’ll show everyone what a fairy can do.” 

* * *

The guildhall was so quiet with everyone gone. Quiet and boring. It didn’t help that there were hardly any jobs to go on. Lisanna had no idea what to do with herself, quite honestly. It didn’t help that every person she was close with was gone. Both her siblings, Natsu, Levy, the rest of her friends. 

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Happy was still here. As soon as they’d returned from Tenrou, Happy, Charle, and Pantherlily had all gone to meet with the other Exceeds. By the time they got back to Fairy Tail, Erza had already dragged everyone after her on that training mission. They weren’t very happy about being left behind. 

“I’m bored,” Happy whined as he flopped down on the bar. “Aren’t you bored, Lisanna?” 

“Yes, a little,” she admitted as she wiped down the bar for what must have been the fourth time today. “But there’s not a lot to do about that.” 

Happy let out a little hiss as he rested his head on his paws, obviously not happy with the answer. 

“Hey, Lisanna,” Lucy said as she sat down at the bar. She seemed a little down. Well, more so than usual, with Loke and Cana being gone. 

“What’s wrong?” Lisanna asked. “Anything I can help with?” 

“Ah, no.” Lucy propped her elbow up on the bar and rested her chin in her hand. “Turns out my dad was paying my rent for me while we were gone because he didn’t want to believe I was dead. So thankfully I’m not in debt, but I bit his head off when I went to see him, so I doubt he’s going to keep that up, and there’s not really enough work to keep up with my payments.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Lisanna’s money situation wasn’t much better, actually. And she had quite a bit of debt pile up before she had been officially declared dead. Everyone was scrounging just to survive at the moment. 

Lucy shrugged. “It’s not like it’s your fault. It’s just irritating.” 

“Yeah…” 

Lucy narrowed her eyes. “What about you? Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” 

Lisanna frowned. “Huh?” 

“It’s just that you’ve cleaned that section of the bar about five times now,” she pointed out. 

“Oh…” Lisanna let go of the rag and took a step back. “I just feel kind of useless like this, I guess.” 

Lucy hummed and glanced around the empty guildhall. “I know how you feel.” 

Lisanna tried not to let it get to her, being left behind by everyone. After all, she was the one who always stressed how much she didn’t like fighting, so  _ of course _ they weren’t going to choose her to fight in a tournament. Not only that, but she knew the mages that  _ were _ chosen were much more suited to it anyways. More powerful magic, more combat experience. It just made  _ sense. _ But that did nothing to change that she felt left out. She imagined Lucy probably felt about the same. “I hope they win.” 

“They will,” Lucy said. 

“You sound pretty confident,” she said. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in her guildmates, but she knew of some powerful wizards and guilds seven years ago, that had likely only grown stronger with time. Victory would be difficult. 

“Well…” Lucy began. “Since when have you guys ever lost a fight? Honestly, you guys are  _ terrifying. _ I know if  _ I _ was thrown into an arena with Erza or Laxus or Natsu or Mira—” She shuddered. “I think I might just bow out then. I don’t know if you guys even realize it, but a lot of your power comes from just your  _ presence. _ You’re so determined, and passionate, and emotional. I’ve seen it,  _ felt _ it, when you fight. I don’t know where it comes from, but it’s terrifying.” 

“You’re right about us never realizing it…” Lisanna said slowly, trying to processing Lucy’s words. She knew Fairy Tail could get… riled up when they fought, but she never realized it was intense enough that enemies  _ felt _ it. Their passion alone was intimidating? “Or I don’t know. I guess I could see that about Natsu, Erza, I guess really the whole group that left.” 

Lucy shook her head. “Nope. Everyone. Every single member.” 

“Including you,” Lisanna pointed out. 

“I don’t know about that…” 

Lisanna held her hand up, allowing no argument. “You said all of us, that includes you. Maybe there’s just something about Fairy Tail that makes us different.” 

“Yeah…” Lucy’s eyebrows pinched together as she stared down at the bar. “Something different…” 

* * *

It’d been two weeks since they’d started their training camp out in the woods, and honestly, Levy was enjoying a lot more than she thought she would. It probably helped that her training regime (carefully created by Erza), wasn’t as intense as everyone else’s, due to her leg, and her merely being an alternate. 

However, she seemed to be the  _ only _ one enjoying Erza’s strict instruction. 

Everyone else was exhausted, sore, and ready for a break. Not that Levy wasn’t, but the others seemed much worse off. Just a couple hours ago, Wendy had passed out, face down in her plate of food. Though Erza had a soft spot for the girl, so she let her have the rest of the day off to rest. But had it been anyone else… Levy didn’t doubt that they would have been ordered to get back to work with no remorse. 

Gray laid down in the dirt with a groan. “How is she still going like this? She’s doing just as much as us. What the  _ fuck?” _

Natsu collapsed next to him. “I don’t know, man. It’s fucking unnatural.” 

Levy chuckled and squatted down next to them. “It’s not so bad.” 

Gray glared at her.  _ “You _ didn’t just spend two hours straight using magic.” 

Natsu moaned. “So much fire…” 

Levy hummed. She supposed that could be quite taxing, not to mention boring, which was a big deal for them. Erza hadn’t allowed them to actually  _ fight, _ just throw spells at each other from a distance, cancelling them out before they hit one another. “Well, do you think you’ve improved?” 

“Who cares? I just want a  _ nap,” _ Gray said. 

Levy laughed. 

* * *

“Damn, Lockser, that’s brutal,” Laxus said. 

Juvia stepped away from Evergreen. “Well, one had to learn how to defend themselves in Phantom Lord.” 

Evergreen sputtered as she got back to her feet, water dribbling down her chin. “You and that little dragon slayer brat… Stop fucking suffocating people!” 

Juvia turned her palms up. “It’s just a tactic.” Normally, she would  _ never _ have filled someone’s lungs with water for training, but Laxus kept insisting they stop holding back during sparring just because they were fighting guildmates. 

“Is that kind of stuff even allowed in the games?” Elfman asked. “Cheap shots like that?” 

“They better be,” Cana huffed as she leaned against a tree. “If someone’s gonna bitch about something like that, they deserve to get their ass kicked.” 

“Actually, Freed and I looked into the rules,” Mirajane said. “And there’s… not really any?” 

“What?” Evergreen asked. 

Freed nodded in agreement. “Yes, short of killing your opponent, there seems to be no restrictions regarding magic or tactics used.” 

“Aw, hell yeah!” Cana punched her fist into her palm. “I can’t wait to blast someone’s face off with Fairy Glitter.” 

“Yeah, I think that might kill them,” Mirajane said. 

Juvia frowned. Cana was right. That  _ could _ be a good thing for them, since a lot of Fairy Tail wizards' magic was wild and unpredictable. However… that also meant that other guilds were bound to have dirty tactics of their own, dark magic and cheap shots that would be difficult to defend against. 

It would certainly make the games interesting. 

“What about guilds that are entering?” Laxus asked. 

Mirajane shrugged. “A lot. Pretty much every guild in Fiore.” 

“Yeah, but ones we should be concerned about?” Cana prompted. 

Freed nodded. “This guild called Sabertooth has won the past couple years, and Mermaid Heel is normally the runner up.” 

“Never heard of either of them,” Elfman said. 

“Mermaid Heel seems to be a rather new guild, only a couple years old,” Freed said. “Sabertooth is a little older, but it’s only in the past few years that they’ve grown so powerful.” 

“And apparently Lamia Scale has a Saint wizard in its ranks,” Mirajane added. 

“Oh wow,” Juvia couldn’t help but say. Saint wizards were on a whole different  _ level.  _

“We can take ‘em!” Elfman exclaimed. 

Juvia wasn’t so sure, but she didn’t dare to say it. 

* * *

“You’re holding it wrong!” Erza exclaimed. 

“How the  _ hell _ do you hold a sword wrong?” Loke demanded. “It’s a big metal stick!” 

“Stop being difficult and just hold it the way I told you to!” she shouted as she stamped her foot. 

Natsu tuned out the argument, and swung the sword Erza had given him a few times. A long time ago, when he was probably fourteen or fifteen, she tried to teach him and Gray how to sword fight. Eventually she’d given up, since they didn’t take it very seriously. But with a week left of their training expedition, she’d decided to force them into it again. She reasoned there might be sections of the tournament that required weaponry, so better safe than sorry. 

But, just with the last attempt, no one was taking it seriously. Except perhaps Wendy and Levy, though even they were poking fun at Erza’s rigid teaching. 

Someone whacked the back of his head with the flat of a blade. 

_ “Ouch!” _ he yelped, whipping around to glare at Gajeel. 

He grinned. “Whoops.” 

Natsu snarled. 

Erza marched over and yanked the sword away from Gajeel. “They aren’t toys!” 

“Scarlet, ya realize I can turn my body into weapons, right?” Gajeel pointed out. 

Her eyes narrowed as she growled. “I’m trying to be  _ thorough.” _

Levy giggled. “Erza, you have to know they’re not going to make everyone sword fight. The tournament is  _ magic _ centered.” 

“But—”

Loke tossed his sword off to the side. “Yeah, this is stupid. Never used a sword in my life, and I don’t intend to start now.” 

Erza looked like she was about to start pulling her hair out. 

Natsu stared hard at the sword.  _ Oh this is gonna look so cool. _ He ignited fire in his hand, and his flames raced up the blade, coating it in fire. “Aw, yeah!” 

Erza shrieked and snatched the sword away. “Don’t light my swords on fire!” 

“Geez, Erz, calm down,” Gray said. “You put these things through the wringer all the time. I think they can handle a little fire.” 

She sighed. “They’re important to me.” 

Loke rolled his eyes. “Again, big metal sticks.” 

Erza held the sword to her chest. “A blade is so much more than that.” 

Natsu didn’t really understand what she meant, but he did know that Erza cared about her swords. He was pretty sure she treated them better than most people. Honestly, he was surprised she let them touch them at all, let alone tried to get them to train with them. 

He held his hand out. “Alright, I won’t light it on fire.” 

Maybe he should try to take this a little more seriously. 

Erza gave him the sword back. 

* * *

“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Meredy asked. “I mean… we didn’t exactly meet on the best of terms…” 

“We don’t have a choice,” Jellal said. “We can’t exactly just waltz into the capital.” And they  _ needed _ to be in the capital during the Grand Magic Games. Despite their rocky history, Fairy Tail might be the only ones actually willing to work with them. 

Ultear gave him a fearsome grin as she elbowed him. “Besides, Jellal wants to see his old girl-y-friend.” 

He grimaced. “No.” 

“Aw.” Meredy hung off Ultear’s shoulders. “Come on. You know we know you have a thing for her. Drunk you likes to talk.” 

“We have far more important things to focus on and discuss with them,” he said. 

“Hey, I don’t blame you,” Meredy said. “She was very attractive.” 

Ultear’s easy smile melted away. “What about Natsu?” 

Jellal sighed. “You mean the fact that he’s E.N.D.?” It was definitely… an awkward, not to mention confusing, situation. “I don’t think he knows.” He certainly hadn’t appeared to know at the Tower of Heaven. 

Meredy shook her head. “I still don’t understand that.” 

Ultear shuddered. “I don’t know if him not knowing is better or worse. I still have the scars on my stomach from him.” 

Meredy crossed her arms. “Well I don’t know about you, but  _ I’m _ not going to be the one telling him.” 

Both Ultear and Meredy looked to Jellal. 

“What?” he asked. 

“You know him best,” Ultear said. 

“I really don’t know him at all,” he argued. Being locked up in Fairy Tail’s basement didn’t exactly allow him to get to know the members real well. “Besides, he wanted to kill me.” 

“Well…” Meredy smiled. “This ought to be fun.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't wait for Jellal and Erza to interact again, not to mention Ultear and Meredy are back! 
> 
> Also, I wrote a little prologue for this, so if you haven't read it yet, you should check it out!


	7. Crime Sorciere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jellal, Meredy, and Ultear make their appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ultear and Meredy are the best, I love them, and they deserve the world. Unfortunately.... we all know how things turn out 
> 
> But for now, they get to have a nice time

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Levy cautioned, for what must have been the tenth time by now. 

Gray snatched the letter from Erza’s hands. “What? Are we just gonna leave it?” he asked as he skimmed over it again. It didn’t give them any names for who might be wanting to meet with them, just that it was important, and that they should meet them out towards that old abandoned bridge that was about a mile from where they’d set up camp. 

“Well… No,” Levy said as she twirled her hair around her finger. “But it doesn’t seem smart to just blindly rush in. What if it’s an enemy?” 

“Then we’ll kick their ass!” Natsu exclaimed as he punched his fist into his palm. 

“Yeah!” Gray agreed eagerly. 

Levy rolled her eyes. “Men.” 

“Oh I don’t know,” Erza said, stealing the letter back again. “It’s been a while since we had a good fight.” 

“Barely a month!” Levy interrupted. “Since we nearly  _ died _ on Tenrou.” 

“A good ass-kicking might be kind of fun,” she continued, steamrolling right over the comment. 

Levy sighed. “Men, and  _ Erza.”  _

Wendy giggled. 

“Smell anything yet?” Gray asked Natsu. Surely he should be able to by now. 

He shook his head. “Nothin.’ What about you Gajeel?” 

“Nah,” he said. “They could be downwind, though.” He sniffed at the air again. “Yeah, they gotta be. Woulda smelt ‘em ages ago if they weren’t.” 

“They know about your senses?” Levy asked. 

Gajeel shrugged. “Don’t know. They could. Or it could just be a coincidence.” 

She hummed. 

“It is weird, though,” Erza admitted. “I wonder who it could be.” 

* * *

Wendy’s jaw dropped when the people who had sent them the letter revealed themselves. She didn’t recognize the two women, but that man… 

“Jellal?” Erza gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. 

Next to her, Gray tensed as he eyed the woman with dark hair, but other than that, everyone else just seemed to be confused. 

“It’s been a long time, Erza,” he said, taking a small step forward. “I’m sure you have questions.” 

“How did you get off that island?” Gray demanded as he gestured to the dark haired woman. “You should be  _ dead.” _

The woman took a deep breath. “Hello, Gray. And I… I admit, that I had no intention of making it off Tenrou. But Meredy had other plans.” She gave the pink-haired woman a fond smile. “She saved my life.” 

Natsu’s eyes narrowed. “You look… familiar…” 

“I am Ultear,” she said. “And, yes… we… had an encounter on Tenrou as well.” 

Gray glanced towards Natsu. “You did?” 

“We did?” Natsu asked. 

She nodded. “It was not a pleasurable experience.” 

Natsu winced. 

Gajeel grabbed Wendy and moved her so he could stand protectively in front of her. She dimly noticed that he did the same with Levy, though much less obviously. “You still with Grimiore Heart?” he asked as he bared his teeth. 

Ultear and Meredy shook their heads. “Grimiore Heart is gone,” Ultear said. “We are the only members left alive. Everyone else perished to either Acnologia, or Zeref.” 

“Zeref?” Levy asked. 

Jellal nodded. “Yes, and that is why we are here. We have… a lot to discuss with you.” 

“Why should we trust you?” Loke asked as he leaned forward. “You two ladies were with Grimiore Heart, and I’m not Erza, Jellal. I’m not as inclined to trust you.” 

“Loke,” Erza hissed. 

“He’s right,” Levy interrupted. “We need to be at least a little nuanced with this.” 

Wendy agreed. She had not encountered these two women on Tenrou, but if they really had been members of Grimiore Heart, then there was no telling what kinds of atrocities they had committed. Not to mention Jellal. She had only spoken to him a few times when he’d been kept in the guildhall cell, but she could already tell that something was… different about him. They needed to be cautious.  _ Erza _ needed to be cautious. 

“I promise we’ll answer any questions you have,” Jellal assured them. 

“Where have you been all these years?” Erza asked. “What have you been doing?” 

“Ah, I’m afraid his disappearing act had something to do with us,” Meredy said. “We broke him out of Fairy Tail six years ago.” 

“Why?” she asked. 

Ultear took a deep breath. “I am the one responsible for the events that transpired at the Tower of Heaven.  _ I _ was the one who exercised control over Jellal. I wanted to make it up to him." 

“It was you?” Erza hissed. 

Natsu snarled. “The Tower of Heaven was your fault?” 

Wendy grabbed his hand and shook her head. “Don’t.” 

Ultear bowed her head. “Yes, it was me.” 

“But I don’t blame her,” Jellal interrupted. “Besides… we have more… pressing issues to discuss, though if you would really like more details about the past, we’ll tell you later.” 

Loke crossed his arms. “Alright, what do you want?” 

“We heard you were competing in the Grand Magic Games,” Meredy said. “We were hoping you would help us with an investigation in the capital, since we… aren’t exactly able to go there. Especially not during the Grand Magic Games, with so many people there.” 

“Why can’t you?” Wendy asked. 

“Well, we are still criminals, technically,” she pointed out. “It’s not that we literally can’t, but… it’s very risky for us.” 

“Jellal?” Erza asked. “Why would you be considered a criminal?” 

“I’m not sure that I would be,” he said. “But we’ve formed an independent guild, called Crime Sorciere, dedicated to taking down dark guilds and atoning for the mistakes we’ve made.” He smiled wryly. “Though we don’t consider ourselves a dark guild, since we’re not technically registered, that’s what we are to the council. Not to mention we’re guilty of interguild conflict. And I’m sure if I were to get dragged to trial, my past grievances would come up as well.” 

“But you don’t even remember them!” Erza argued. 

He shook his head. “The memories returned, over time.” He turned his attention to Gray. “I’m sorry for your eye.” 

Gray sighed. “I still think you’re a bastard, but it’s not like it stayed gone, so I guess it’s fine.” He gestured to his eye. 

“Yes…” Jellal turned his attention to Natsu. “And I’m sorry for the damage I did to you. And for chaining you up and muzzling you,” he told Wendy. 

She grinned. “Oh, it’s fine, Mister Jellal!” She still didn’t really… trust him, at least, not as blindly as Erza did, but if he genuinely wanted to make up for his mistakes, then she wanted to help him. “I’ve been through worse!” 

“Oh my god, she is so cute,” Meredy whispered to Ultear. 

“Yeah, I don’t care about any of this,” Gajeel growled, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. “What the fuck are you wantin’ us to do in the capital?” 

Meredy stepped forward. “Ever since Fiore started the Grand Magic Games, there has been irregular spikes of magical energy coming from the capital. The past couple years we’ve gotten as close as we can, trying to discern the cause.” Her gaze hardened. “The magic belongs to Zeref.” 

_ “Zeref?” _ they all chorused. 

“But Zeref is dead!” Gray argued. “You can’t  _ bring  _ someone back to  _ life _ like that!” 

Meredy, Jellal, and Ultear exchanged glances. “True,” Ultear said. “I realize that now. Our current theory… is that he never died to begin with.” 

Natsu shook his head. “That’s not… That’s not possible! Zeref is  _ gone!” _

“You saw him on Tenrou!” Ultear shouted as she stamped her foot. “You as well!” She pointed to Gray. “To deny his existence at this point is sheer stupidity and denial!” 

“Ultear,” Meredy said quietly. 

Ultear took a deep breath, calming herself. “Look, the point is, even if you refuse to believe Zeref is the cause, there is intense, powerful, and dangerous magic building in the capital with the Games, and it needs to be investigated.” 

“Why should we help you?” Gajeel asked. “You sure as hell have done nothin’ for any of us.” 

“Gajeel!” Levy scolded. 

“I’m just tellin’ it like it is!” he argued. 

“You want to win, don’t you?” Ultear asked. “You won’t at your current skill level. I admit, you were formidable on Tenrou, but magic and every mage in Fiore has gained seven years on you.” She held her hand out, and a glowing sphere appeared above her palm. “I can give you the boost of power you’ll need.” 

“Yeah, how do we know that isn’t just gonna kill us, or something?” Gray asked, leaning forward to glare at the strange magic. 

“I trust Jellal,” Erza said. “And if he trusts them, I will trust them.” 

“Erza…” Gray warned. 

She shook her head. “I trust them.” 

Natsu tried to grab the sphere but Ultear jerked her hand back. “If Erza trusts ‘em that’s good enough for me!” he said with a grin. 

“Natsu!” Gajeel and Gray protested. 

“What?” He cocked his head. “This freaky one has got a point about our magic. We haven’t exactly gotten a lot better.” 

“He does have a point,” Loke said. “You all still suck.” 

Levy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Loke…” 

“Besides, I wanna beat Zeref’s face in,” Natsu continued. 

“Actually, I kind of agree with you there,” Gray said. “But I want to talk to you first.” He grabbed Ultear’s hand, and pulled her away from the rest of the group. 

“Erza… May I… Can we speak as well?” Jellal asked. “Alone?” 

She nodded. “Of course.” And they broke off as well. 

Leaving Wendy, Gajeel, Natsu, Levy, and Loke to stare at Meredy. “So… any questions?” the pink-haired mage asked. 

“Yeah, why the hell are you wearing earmuffs?” Natsu asked. “It’s like eighty degrees out.” 

Wendy rolled her eyes. 

* * *

Gray had no idea what to feel as he stared at Ultear. Relief? Disappointment? Concern? So much had happened so quickly, that he really hadn’t had the time to process what had become of Ur’s daughter. Then after coming back… well, he’d just assumed she was dead, and that was that. He had more pressing things to be concerned with. 

Ultear just stared back, clearly waiting for him to speak first. 

“So… an independent guild?” he finally asked. He understood where she was coming from, but was she really going to spend her whole life dismantling dark guilds? 

She nodded. “Yes… It was Meredy’s idea, actually. And her idea to involve Jellal.” 

He sighed. “Do you really expect us to trust you, Ultear?” he asked. “Just like that? Erza’s blind faith in Jellal can only get you so far.” 

She shook her head. “Of course I don’t. But I imagine that you don’t want to let this strange magic just continue to do its work.” 

“You really believe it’s Zeref?” he asked. 

“I do.” Her tone left no room for argument. 

He glanced towards the rest of his group, clustered around Meredy and pestering her with questions. “If he’s really been around this whole time, if he never died… what all could he have done?” 

“There’s no way of telling,” she said. 

_ He knew Natsu’s name. He’s who Natsu dreams about.  _ He had half a mind to ask her about what that could mean, but it was none of her business. He didn’t want her knowing anything she didn’t need to about Natsu. “Fine. You’re right. If this really has… some connection to Zeref, it needs to be dealt with.” 

Did Zeref have something to do with the death of Juvia’s father? It was nothing short of suspicious that he had suddenly been murdered after years of living a normal, peaceful life. Not to mention the council’s involvement in the investigation. It was made even more suspicious by the council’s approval of the Grand Magic Games, which was what the strange power they spoke of seemed to be centered around. 

“So you’ll help us?” she asked. 

He nodded. “Yeah. Honestly, even if we didn’t want to, Erza’d probably force us into it for Jellal.” 

Ultear frowned, seemingly in deep thought. “Is Erza single?” 

“Uh, no,” he said firmly. 

She sighed. “I thought not. Unfortunate.” She walked back towards Meredy, leaving Gray to wonder what in the hell that had been about. 

* * *

“I heard you,” Erza said, before Jellal got the chance to speak. “Back on Tenrou. I heard your voice, and it saved my life.” 

“Oh.” He remembered that day so, so clearly, as if it had been yesterday, rather than seven years ago. That was the last time he had felt Erza’s presence. Before now, anyways. “Well, I’m glad you’re safe.” 

“Yes…” Erza’s eyes wandered across the trees as they strolled through the forest. “Do you really remember now? Everything?” 

Before he could think better of it, gently, he grabbed a lock of her hair. “Scarlet, like your pretty hair.” 

She smiled. It was small, but very fond. 

He couldn’t avoid the topic any longer. “Erza… what happened to you? Your magic… Your face… You have the same marking as me.” The same pattern, though blue instead of red, framing her strange, golden eye. 

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It actually happened soon after I heard your voice, during that fight. Do you… Do you not know anything about the marking? I never thought to ask when we were children, but you’ve had it your whole life. Surely it must mean something.” 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know,” he said. “Like you said, I’ve had it my whole life. I don’t even remember being without it. I may have been born with it, for all I know.” 

“Oh…” She said. “Well, Levy thinks it might have something to do with Faeries.” 

“The creatures your guild is named after?” he asked. If that were the case, why would  _ he _ have such a marking? 

“No, she says it’s different.” She sighed. “It’s confusing, I know. But she said that a Faerie was a being who was blended perfectly with magic, and I do have to admit, that my magic has gotten stronger… stranger since this happened.” 

Perfectly blended with magic? He ran his fingers down his own marking. Of course, he didn’t have the same stripes and runes on his arms and chest like Erza did, or the rest of the physical traits, but if what she said was true, why would he have  _ anything _ marking him as such a blessed individual? He sure as hell didn’t deserve it. 

No, either Levy was wrong, or this was just a massive coincidence. Erza was so lovely, and powerful, and  _ good. _ She deserved to have the purest form of magic. He didn’t deserve magic at all. “I’m sure you’ll get it figured out,” he finally replied. 

Erza hummed, then said, “I missed you, Jellal. More than I thought I would. And it hasn’t even been that long for me. I can’t even imagine…” She turned her head away. “I’m sorry that I left you like that.” 

He shook his head. “That is not your fault. I’m just relieved that you’re alive.” 

“Still…” She fell to her knees, pressing her hand against her eye as she began to cry. “I-I-I  _ left _ you. When I was all you knew. I’m so glad your memories have returned, but before they did…” 

“Hey.” He settled down next to her. “That’s not your fault. I told you that. I don’t deserve your tears.” 

She pulled her hand away, giving him a perfect view of the tears spilling out of her golden eye. “Deserving or not, I still care for you.” 

His heart fluttered, but he forced his feelings away. Erza deserved better than him. And he didn’t deserve someone as wonderful as her. “I did miss you, Erza,” he said. “More than anything. I missed you so much that my chest  _ ached _ sometimes. I’ll never be thankful enough that you’re still alive. But please… don’t waste your tears on me.” 

A small gasp escaped her. “But you’re wasting your tears on me.” 

He wiped his hand across his cheek, and it came away wet with tears. Tears he hadn’t even noticed. He laughed softly. “So I am.” 

Slowly, Erza cupped his face with her hand, and brushed away the tears with her thumb. “Don’t cry for me. I’m not even dead.” 

“Only if you return the favor,” he said. 

She smiled, and blinked back the remaining tears. “Someday… everyone’s going to have to learn to let me cry.” 

Jellal found himself gazing at her lips. God, what he wouldn’t give to kiss her. He hadn’t the slightest idea how long he’d been in love with Erza Scarlet. He was sure he’d had a crush on her when they were kids, but after that it was hard to tell, between Ultear’s spells, losing his memories, and her going missing for seven years, there was so much to work through. 

But right now, alone in the trees, with her so close, and  _ still _ holding his face like that, it became glaringly obvious how much he cared for her. “Erza…” What was he going to tell her? That he loved her? He couldn’t tell her that! She didn’t deserve it… 

Her grip on him tightened, just slightly, and she began to pull him closer. 

_ Oh…. _ Did she really want this? Did she really want  _ him? _

He leaned forward, with every intention to kiss her. Even if she decided it was a mistake, that he wasn’t worth it, he could allow himself to be selfish just this once, couldn’t he? 

But just before their lips met, she jerked away. 

Jellal jerked back as well, trying not to let the rejection get to him. Obviously she’d thought about it a little more, realized it would be a mistake. 

But that didn’t make it feel any better. 

“I-I’m sorry,” she said, staring at the forest floor. “I wan’t thinking. I shouldn’t have done that…” 

“It’s fine,” he assured her. 

She shook her head. “It’s not you… I don’t know why I… I love Mirajane.” 

Jellal’s eyes widened, and he suddenly felt very guilty. He’d forgotten about Erza’s relationship with Mirajane. He never should have tried anything with her. “I’m sorry.” 

She shook her head and stood up. “It’s my own fault.” She took a steadying breath. “Let’s get back to the others. We need to discuss exactly what you want us to do, as well as this… way your friend has to strengthen our abilities.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a good thing all the Fairy Tail characters are so goddamn awkward when it comes to romance because so am I but it's in character so it's fine


	8. Second Origin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultear unlocks Fairy Tail's Second Origins, and Lisanna and the rest of the guild deal with paperwork

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer wait. I had plans like every day the past week which is.... unheard of for me. My social battery has been fried. I can't speak to another human for at least a month. Gotta love the holidays

“It’s called the Second Origin,” Ultear said. “I have a spell that can activate it.” 

Levy peered at the sphere hovering above the woman’s palm. “Second Origin?” She’d never heard of such a thing. What even was that? 

“Magic can be a tricky thing,” she began. 

“Fucking tell me about it,” Gray muttered towards Natsu. 

Natsu snickered. 

“As magic wielders, our bodies are designed to take in magic, and then we direct it out again, yes?” she asked, as if making sure they understood. 

“Yeah…” Gajeel said. “The fuck’s that got to do with this stupid spell of yers?” 

Ultear glared at him. “Well, mages’ bodies are taking in magic constantly. When we dispel it, we don’t dispel all of it. It’s always there. The Second Origin refers to the magic within you that you don’t have the ability to access.” 

“Huh…” Levy had read some theories that stated something similar. She thought they were interesting, and maybe even true, but even if they were, she never expected a way to be able to access that power. “And you can get us this power?” 

Ultear nodded. “It’s a facet of my Arc of Time abilities. I’ve tweaked the spell to be able to do it. So yes, I can give you this power, and it should put you on the same level as the other guilds competing, or make you even more powerful, perhaps.” 

“Sounds good to me!” Natsu exclaimed. “Let’s get started!” 

“I don’t know… It seems like a shortcut,” Erza said. 

“Who gives a fuck?” Gajeel asked. “Power is power.” 

“He has a point,” Loke said. 

“Yeah,” Levy agreed. “I mean, it  _ is _ our power. Why can’t we use it?” 

Natsu nodded, his grin almost manic. 

“I suppose that is true,” Erza mused. 

“Yeah, it’s not like you’ve never used weird power ups before,” Gray pointed out as he gestured to the markings covering her. “You just got one!” 

“It’s a painful process,” Ultear warned. 

There was a bit of hesitation and apprehension in the air after that statement, but it didn’t last for long. 

“Eh, so what. Probably been through worse,” Gajeel said. 

“Very painful,” Ultear stressed. 

“I’ll go first!” Natsu said. “It probably won’t hurt as bad as these did.” He flared his wings. 

Gajeel and Erza grimaced. 

Ultear smirked, and it sent shivers down Levy’s spine. “Well, let’s get started then.” 

* * *

“Quick question,” Lucy said. “What the hell did you guys do to the magic council? Why do they hate us so much?” 

Laki sighed. “How long do you have?” 

Lisanna grimaced. The magic council was pushing back against their guild entering the Grand Magic Games. Well, no, not exactly. More accurately, they were pushing back against the  _ members _ that were competing. All members of the Tenrou Team, and all members the council had had issues with in the past. 

Right now, along with Laki, Bisca, and Lucy, she was sorting through the paperwork and multiple reasons why their members supposedly shouldn’t be allowed to compete. The Master was handling the brunt of it, but they wanted to help how they could. 

Lucy waved around a piece of paper. “This is just a list of every building that Erza’s ever destroyed.” 

“At least  _ you’re _ not reading through the five billion complaints from terrorized locals,” Bisca complained. “I’m going to  _ kill _ Gajeel when he gets back.” 

“Most of these are from seven years ago, I think it’s time to let it go,” Lucy pointed out. “Besides, why is the magic council even involved in these stupid games? Why do they get a say in who we can and can’t enter?” 

“It is stupid,” Laki agreed. “From what I can see, they really  _ don’t. _ They’re trying to overwhelm us with bureaucracy. What they’re really pushing at is that some of them… aren’t human? I guess?” She sighed. “Basically they’re claiming that there’s no rules or guidelines centered around non-human mages competing. But again, because of that, there’s nothing that explicitly says they  _ can’t, _ so they’re making us work through all of this and fill out a shit ton of forms, hoping we fuck it up somehow and they can claim we don’t have the right paperwork.” 

Lucy slumped against the table. “I fucking hate the government.” 

Lisanna hummed in agreement as she flipped through the pile of papers filled with Laxus’s complaints. Not as much as some of the others, but it was still a pretty decent stack. 

“Oh, some small town mayor is complaining that Cana broke his most expensive bottle of wine over a thief’s head,” Bisca said. “Why the fuck are you all like this?” 

“Oh, I was actually there for that one,” Lucy said. “That mayor was a bitch about it. Conveniently didn’t mention that we saved his life, I see.” 

“Oh my god I found a complaint about Wendy!” Laki exclaimed. “That’s a new one!” 

“No way. No one complains about Wendy. She’s a  _ saint. _ What could she have  _ possibly _ done?” Bisca said as she got up to read over Laki’s shoulder. 

“Holy shit, she called someone a cunt!” Laki nearly choked. “She called a  _ lord _ a  _ cunt!”  _ She cackled. “I always knew that kid had spunk, never thought it’d come out like that, though!” 

“That doesn’t seem right…” Lisanna said. “You sure they don’t mean someone else?” she asked as she leaned over. 

Bisca narrowed her eyes. “It says she called the lord a cunt after he said Natsu was too dangerous and needed to be locked up.” 

“Nope, never mind. That was definitely Wendy,” she corrected. She’d only seen Wendy actually get mad a few times, and it had always been on her brother’s behalf. 

“They better thank us when they get back,” Lucy grumbled. “None of them would be able to go through all of this. Except Levy, I guess. But there’s no complaints about her so she doesn’t even owe us anything.” 

“There’s not too many about Mira or Elf,” Lisanna pointed out. 

“Uh…” Bisca held up a huge wad of papers. “You just didn’t get that pile.” 

“Oh…” She didn’t think they were  _ that _ bad, but then again, they could be a little unpredictable. And she supposed that Mirajane went on quests with Erza when she could, so she was bound to get looped into those messes. “Never mind then.” 

It was going to be a long night. 

* * *

Natsu was sure that Ultear’s spell couldn’t be worse than his wings growing in. He thought  _ nothing _ could be worse than that. 

He was wrong. 

He’d tried to lock away the memory of his wings growing in. Of the feeling of his back tearing open, and his bones and muscles stretching and twisting. It didn’t work, and he still felt sharp twinges of pain through his wings, back, and shoulders. He had no idea if he imagined them, or if his body just wasn’t meant to go through something like that. 

But this… Natsu wasn’t sure if his body would ever recover. 

It’d started with a stinging burn in his chest, and he remembered thinking,  _ Oh, this isn’t bad at all, _ before the pain  _ exploded. _ It spread through his body, lighting every one of his nerves on fire. His body was being torn apart and pieced back together over and over again, in a sickly familiar way that he couldn’t place. 

The magic in him roiled, thrashing, fighting against him as Ultear’s spell forced it out, unlocked it. Or maybe unlocking wasn’t the right word… Unlocking was simple, quick, painless. Ultear was wrenching it out of him, tearing at it with claws and teeth. 

He was dimly aware of his friends' horrified gazes and gasps as he writhed on the ground, tearing deep gouges in the earth with his claws as he desperately tried to keep himself from mindlessly clawing at his own skin to rip out whatever was doing this to his insides. 

He knew he was screaming. He had to be. But all he heard was the magic rushing through him, roaring in his ears. 

He thought he might have felt someone carding their fingers through his hair, but the touch disappeared so quickly he couldn’t be sure. 

He just wanted it to  _ end.  _

* * *

Tree branches and a darkening sky came into focus above him. Natsu blinked a few times, trying to figure out what was going on. He was sore, and the fire in his chest  _ blazed. _ Blazed in a way it only did when he was at the height of his power, just before he burnt out. 

_ Oh god, did I black out again?  _ A panicked growl escaped him as he frantically tried to remember. Had he  _ hurt _ someone? 

“Hey, you’re back with us,” Erza said as she kneeled next to him. “Are you okay? Do you feel any different?” 

It came rushing back. Ultear’s spell… He let out a sigh of relief. “Think it worked.” 

“Of course it worked,” Ultear said. “I’ve spent years perfecting my techniques.” 

Gray appeared over him, offering his hand to pull him up. “Come on. You feel any different?” 

Natsu rolled his shoulders and stretched his wings. Fire ignited in the palms of his hands. “This is gonna be fun.” 

“Nope, nope, no, nuh uh, nope.” Levy grabbed his wrist. “We are in the middle of the woods. Extremely  _ flammable _ woods.” She shook her head. “Honestly…” 

Natsu whined. “Levy! I think I can use more fire than I did on that lacrima in Edolas, no problem! I wanna try!” 

“Flammable woods!” she shouted. “Flammable me! Flammable  _ everyone!”  _

His wings drooped.  _ “Fine.”  _

“It really worked?” Gajeel asked. 

The fire in his chest still hadn’t subsided. He nodded. “Oh yeah.” 

Gajeel grinned. “My turn.” 

* * *

“You know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Levy told Wendy. “Loke’s not.” 

Wendy shook her head. Loke wasn’t doing it because Ultear wasn’t sure it would work on a celestial spirit. “No, no, I want to.” She could handle it. If she survived the channeling in Edolas, and then the fight with Grimiore Heart, she could handle this. “I’m not a little girl anymore. I turn thirteen in a few weeks now!” 

Levy smiled. “Well I can’t argue with that. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you didn’t  _ have _ to do this. No one’s forcing you to. No one’s even expecting you to. It’s your decision.” 

“I know,” she said. “But I still want to do it.” 

* * *

Natsu grimaced as he watched his friends scream and writhe around on the ground, clawing at their chests. “How… How long does it… last?” 

“Oh… a couple hours or so,” Ultear said nonchalantly as she leaned against a tree. 

“A couple hours!?” he demanded. 

She shrugged. “Well it took a little over three for you.” 

Had it really? Sure, it’d seemed like forever, but he assumed that was just because of the pain. 

“This is awful,” he muttered as he covered his ears, but it did very little block out the pained wailing. 

Meredy approached him and leaned close. “So… Natsu, what’s your life been like? You know, before you joined Fairy Tail?” 

For some reason, Ultear and Jellal stiffened. 

Natsu frowned. Why would she want to know that? Was she trying to distract him from his friends’ very obvious agony? Whatever the case, it’s not like it hurt to tell her. “I was raised by a dragon, Igneel. With my sister and brothers.” 

“Oh, is that how you learned dragon slayer magic?” she asked. 

He nodded. 

“And uh…” Gently, she grabbed one of his wings, and when he didn’t protest or shove her away, she pulled it taut. “Is that how you ended up with these?” 

“Eh, yeah, basically.” He didn’t care so much about the wings anymore. They were useful, and now that he’d gotten used to them, they could actually be kind of nice. 

She hummed. “What about before you met Igneel? I mean obviously, you had to have had a human family at some point, right?” 

“Meredy,” Ultear hissed, shooting her a glare. 

“What?” she asked innocently. “I’m just curious.” 

But Natsu didn’t mind. He’d been told he had no tact all the time, so he imagined he’d asked a lot of insensitive questions over the years. As such, he figured he really wasn’t allowed to get upset when someone asked him about his family. “Don’t know. Don’t remember a thing about them.” 

It didn’t bother him. How could it, when he didn’t remember them? And aside from that, he’d had Igneel and the other dragons, not to mention his siblings. He wouldn’t trade their weird family for anything. Even to know his biological family. 

“Nothing?” Meredy questioned. “You must have been very young when the dragon took you in.” 

“Oh my god, _Meredy."_ Jellal pinched his nose. “You have no tact.” 

Natsu thought there might be something going on between the three of them that he wasn’t picking up on, but he didn’t really care that much. He didn’t know them that well, and if they wanted to get into an argument over Meredy asking him about his family, they could do whatever they wanted. “Actually I was eight,” he said. “Or at least that’s what Igneel told me. I don’t really remember anything before then.” 

Meredy and Ultear exchanged a glance. “That’s… odd…” Ultear muttered. 

Natsu shrugged. “Eh, who cares. I was eight. Doubt I’m forgettin’ anything that matters.” 

Jellal grimaced. “Yes, let’s hope not.” 

Natsu had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but he decided not to ask. 

* * *

As soon as Ultear’s spell was finished, the mages of Crime Sorciere left, with short goodbyes and a promise to meet up with them after the Games to discuss what they discovered. 

It was a good thing they still had a week left to practice, because everyone was… a little overwhelmed by their Second Origin. Their magic had become… a little more difficult to control, given they weren’t used to having access to so much of it at once. 

They all realized that after Gray accidentally froze the entire campsite when trying to cool down his drink. 

They got it handled though… for the most part. There hadn’t been any  _ major _ accidents in the last two days, at least. 

Erza was proud of their progress. Even without their Second Origin. 

They could do this. They could  _ win.  _

* * *

“You all owe me big time for doing all your goddamn paperwork!” Lucy shouted as soon as her guildmates returned from their little training mission. “Also, Natsu, calm the fuck down.  _ How _ can you cause that much property damage?” 

All fourteen of them exchanged confused glances, before slowly thanking Lucy for doing paperwork, albeit hesitantly. 

“Good,” she said with a curt nod. Then she snagged Loke and Cana and ventured off somewhere else. 

“What paperwork is she talking about?” Gray asked. 

Levy shook her head. “I have no idea.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the official start of the Grand Magic Games. Everyone's headed to the capital!


	9. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon arriving in the capital for the Games, Erza and Cana have a talk, and Gray, Natsu, and Gajeel run into faces from the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Family dramaaaaaa

Crocus was  _ packed. _ Of course, it was always busier than Magnolia, which was what Fairy Tail was used to, but due to the Grand Magic Games, it was even worse than usual. Never mind the flocks of normal people crowding the streets, there were also teams of wizards from practically every guild in Fiore present. 

Lisanna wasn’t a huge fan of crowds, and it didn’t help that her guildmates kept running off and getting distracted, leaving her to search through the writhing masses for them. At this rate, it was going to take them forever to reach the inn they were staying at. 

“Woah, this place looks a lot better than it did the last time we were here,” Natsu said. 

“You mean when we demolished it with our infighting?” Gray drawled. 

Natsu cocked his head. “Was that why it looked so terrible?” 

_ “Yes.”  _

“Oh.” 

She shook her head. “I still can’t believe you guys all fought Laxus in the capital.  _ That _ is why I had to sort through so much paperwork for you.” 

Happy bounded from Natsu’s shoulders to Lisanna’s. “I thought you liked paperwork,” the Exceed said. 

She rolled her eyes. “No! Who likes  _ paperwork?” _

Gray shrugged. “Those damn council members seem to.” 

Natsu shook his head. “Nah, they don’t count. Those bastards are just fucking weird.” 

Lisanna scratched Happy’s ears. “They’re pricks, is what they are. I still can’t believe they went through so much bullshit just to try and keep us from competing.” 

Natsu snickered. “I bet if they knew we were still alive on Tenrou, they never woulda sent Bisca and the others to come check it out.” 

She hummed in agreement. 

* * *

“Who wants to party tonight?” Cana shouted from the bar, already drinking, even though it was only about five. 

“Shouldn’t we wait to celebrate until we… you know… win something?” Levy asked. 

Cana slammed down a shot glass. “Nah, what’s the point in that?”

“It’s pretty much just us, though,” Levy said. “Not really much fun.” 

Cana glanced around the bar, and Levy was right. Other than Erza sitting in the corner, everyone was gone. 

“They went out to explore Crocus, since we’re not exactly here often,” she continued. “Don’t think Erza’s too happy about it, considering we’re supposed to be in our rooms by midnight.” 

Cana pouted. “That’s  _ lame. _ ‘Specially since no one here really wants anything to do with us.” She’d been listening to the snide comments about the guild ever since they got here. She couldn’t wait to prove them wrong. She was going to kick these rival guilds’ teeth in, just because she could. 

Levy hummed in agreement. “I wonder what the preliminaries are going to be.” Then she frowned. “You know you should probably stop drinking so much, considering  _ you’re _ going to be in them in a few hours.” 

She waved her off. “I know how to handle my booze.” She reached for another bottle, but Erza grabbed her hand. 

“I need to talk to you,” she said.

Cana threw her head back and whined. “I’m not gonna listen to you get onto me for drinkin’ with this competition coming up, Erza.” 

Erza shook her head. “It’s not about that. I just… I need to talk to you?” 

Cana frowned, confused. Erza didn’t  _ ask. _ Erza just  _ did. _ “Er, whatever, I guess. What about?” 

Erza glanced at Levy, and the script mage gave Cana an odd look. “I’ll leave you two alone.” She hopped off her stool and disappeared up the stairs. 

“Alright, what are you wanting?” she asked as soon as Levy was gone. “Remember, you ain’t in charge of me, Laxus is. And don’t you dare tell him I admitted it.” 

Erza gnawed on her lip. “It has nothing to do with that,” she finally said. “Something… happened, while we were out training, and I can’t stop  _ thinking _ about it.” 

“Uh…” Cana leaned back, only growing more confused. Why did Erza look so  _ upset? _ It was unnatural. “What’s that got to do with me?” 

“We told you about Jellal and the others—” 

She nodded. “Right, your boy toy.”

Erza winced. 

“Oh,” she realized.  _ “Oh…” _ She wouldn’t deny that she thought Erza’s relationship with Jellal was a little odd. She’d even thought the man might have a little crush on her. “So he confessed, huh? Why are you talking to me about it, though? I get not wantin’ to talk to Gray or Natsu about it, but why not Mira?” 

She shook her head. “That’s not what happened. I… I almost  _ kissed _ him.” 

And it all fell into place. Why Erza was talking to  _ her, _ of all people. “Just to clarify, you actually  _ wanted _ to kiss him, it wasn’t some… coerced thing, right?” She doubted Erza would  _ ever _ kiss anyone she didn’t want to, for a number of reasons, but she decided to check, just in case. 

Erza sighed and rested her elbows on the bar. “I was the one who initiated it. I stopped before we actually kissed. But… I feel so  _ guilty.”  _

Cana really didn’t know how to deal with this. She knew how to handle her own relationships, but everyone else’s were complete enigmas. “If it were me, I’d just get really drunk and then tell Loke and Lucy what happened, and we’d go from there. Doubt that’s what your uptight ass wants to do, though.” 

Erza grimaced. “Cana, I don’t know who else to talk to about this. How… how do you… I like them  _ both.”  _

She shrugged. “Yeah, I figured. You know that’s not wrong, or weird, right?” 

Though she hesitated, Erza nodded. “I know you care for Loke and Lucy both. I know you all care for each other. But Mira… You know she only likes women, I know she doesn’t care for Jellal.” 

Cana fought off the urge to rub her temples. “Okay, first off, not all poly relationships are like mine. Yeah, all three of us date each other, but that’s not the only way to do it. So long as Mira and Jellal know what’s going on and are okay with it, you can date them both and they don’t have to have anything to do with each other.” 

“Really?” She leaned forward, eyes wide. “I thought that was cheating.” 

“It is, if you don’t talk to Mira about it.” She grabbed for a bottle again, and thankfully Erza didn’t stop her this time. She wasn’t drunk enough to be explaining polyamorous relationships to Erza Scarlet. “But so long as she gives you the green light, do whatever the fuck you want with that Jellal bastard.” 

Erza stared down at the bar, so intensely Cana wondered if she was about to stab it. “Okay. Thank you, Cana. This helped… I think.” 

Cana waved her off. “Mmhm, whatever. Talk to Mira.” 

* * *

Gray had no idea how he ended up traversing around the capital with Juvia, Lucy, and Loke, but Natsu had disappeared almost as soon as they checked into the inn, and he hadn’t had many options. 

He supposed it wouldn’t be so bad if Lucy and Loke would cool it with the public displays of affection. Sure, they were just holding hands, and there was the  _ occasional _ chaste kiss, but did they really have to do it around  _ them? _ Couldn’t they just go on a date by themselves, or something? 

It also didn’t help that the waitress serving them assumed they were on a double date.

“What do you think the preliminaries are going to be?” Lucy asked as she picked at her salad. “Do you think you’ll have to fight each other?” 

“What, like a big free for all battle?” Gray asked. 

Juvia shook her head. “I don’t think they would do that. It would be chaos to throw so many wizards at each like that.” She shrugged. “Besides, that would actually give us the advantage, since our two teams would join together. I was looking at the rosters earlier, and surprisingly, it seems like a lot of guilds only entered one.” 

“Oh yeah, I guess that is true,” Lucy said. 

“Well whatever the fuck it is,” Loke said as he leaned back in his chair. “Have fun with it. I’m gonna enjoy myself for a while.” 

Juvia frowned. “You are not going back to the inn?” 

He shrugged. “Not by midnight. Why should I? I’m just an alternate.” 

“He does have a point,” Gray said. “We don’t need him right now—” 

“Gray! Hey, Gray!” 

He shifted around in his chair to see who was calling his name, and his jaw dropped.  _ “Lyon!?”  _

His foster brother waved, a huge grin on his face, as he approached their table. “It’s been a long time, Gray.” He pulled up a chair and sat down with them. “Glad to see that you’re not dead.” 

“Uh…” What was Lyon  _ doing _ here? Last he knew, he’d been handed over to the magic council. Sure, seven years had passed (and he’d aged well), but based on his crimes, Gray hadn’t expected him to be released anytime soon. “Yeah…” 

Juvia leaned around Gray for a better look. “Who are you?” 

He held his hand out to shake. “Lyon Vastia, Gray’s foster brother, and who are  _ you?”  _ he asked with a smooth smile. 

Loke snickered and elbowed Lucy. 

“I’m Juvia Lockser,” Juvia said as she shook his hand, seemingly oblivious to Lyon’s very blatant infatuation. Then she turned to Gray. “I didn’t know you had a foster brother!” 

Gray crossed his arms. “Well I thought he hated me and was in prison, so I didn’t think to mention it.” 

_ “Prison?” _ Lucy demanded. 

Lyon waved her off. “I made some dumb mistakes when I was younger. Lamia Scale offered to take me in for a probation period, though. Been a member ever since. Plus I was pardoned for helping to deal with the Nirvana and Oracion Seis.” 

“Ah, I heard those were some right nasty bastards,” Loke said. “They still in prison?” 

Lyon nodded. “And they’re not getting out anytime soon. Even if a guild offered to take them in.” 

Gray frowned, not sure he liked how seamlessly Lyon had blended into their conversation. Sure, over seven years might have passed for  _ him _ since the Deliora incident on Galuna Island, but for Gray, it was still only about six months. “Are you competing in the Games?” he asked. 

“Yes, maybe we’ll get the chance to fight,” he said. “Settle the score once and for all.” The idea seemed to amuse him. 

“I’d kick your ass,” Gray said. 

“Oh, you would not,” Lyon argued. 

“Would too!” 

Lucy rolled her eyes and went back to her salad. “Well, they’re definitely brothers.” 

* * *

“I don’t like big cities,” Natsu complained. “There’s too much goin’ on. Makes my head hurt.” Not to mention how hard it was to focus on anything while being assaulted by so many different sounds and smells. 

“You get used to it,” Gajeel said. 

He shook his head. “I don’t think I want to.” He’d gotten curious, wanted to come and explore the city, maybe even meet some of the competition. But Erza didn’t want to, and Lisanna and Mirajane took Wendy out for a “girl’s night,” so it ended up just being Gajeel and himself. And Happy and Pantherlily. 

“Natsu!” Happy bounded between people’s legs, running back from the opposite side of the street. “There’s a fight going on over there!” 

Natsu perked up. “Really? Let’s go!” 

He half expected someone to berate him for wanting to get involved, so used to Erza or someone else nagging him, but Gajeel looked just as eager. Pantherlily protested for just a moment, albeit halfheartedly, but didn’t actually try to stop them from shoving their way through the crowd to find out what was going on. 

Natsu pushed his way through the last line of bystanders, and froze. 

They’d changed, they’d both changed  _ so much, _ but the scent was still the same. “Sting? Rogue?” 

Beside him, Gajeel let out a choked noise. 

Sting glanced up, before stepping away from the mage he’d had pinned. “Natsu.” He didn’t seem very surprised, just calmly examined him, his eyes lingering a little longer on his wings. “So it’s true, huh?” He turned his gaze to Gajeel. “You two really ain’t human anymore.” 

Rogue kicked another mage away, and moved to stand closer to Sting. 

Gajeel huffed. “What, you fucking brats get all high and mighty?” Then he grinned. “Thought you were fucking  _ dead.”  _

Natsu took another step forward, still not quite believing that this was happening. These were his  _ brothers. _ His missing brothers, who he thought might be dead or worse, were standing right in front of him. 

But they didn’t seem as excited by it as he and Gajeel did. 

Sting shrugged. “Yeah, thought you were dead, too.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you were done in by a fucking  _ dragon.” _

Rogue nodded. “Yes, you would think that as dragon slayers, they could handle one.” 

“We could have done it easily,” Sting said. “What do you think, Lector?” he asked the Exceed winding around his ankles. 

“Oh yeah!” the Exceed replied, nodding his head. “You could have done it no problem at all.” 

Happy hissed and climbed up to rest on Natsu’s shoulder. Even Pantherlily was beginning to bristle. 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. “You here with a guild?” 

Rogue gestured to the guildmark on his shoulder. “Sabertooth.” 

Sting grinned. “We can’t wait to crush you fairies.” 

“Wha— _ Sting!  _ Where have you  _ been _ all this time?” Natsu asked. “How did you stop the dragonification?” He tried to move forward again, but Gajeel grabbed him. “You wanna fucking fight!?” 

His grin became a snarl. “I thought that was obvious. You’re dragons, and we’re dragon  _ slayers.”  _

Natsu tried to lunge forward, but Gajeel stopped him again. “What about Weisslogia and Skiadrum, huh? We were  _ raised _ by dragons!” And he  _ was not _ a dragon. Sure, he was close, but he was still  _ human.  _

Rogue frowned. “Did you not kill Igneel and Metalicana?” He hummed. “Maybe that’s why you lacked the skills to deal with Acnologia.” 

“You didn’t,” Gajeel snarled, his grip on Natsu tightening. “What the hell is wrong with you!?” 

Natsu’s eyes widened as he realized what Rogue had just implied. “N-No.” He jerked back against Gajeel. “How could you…” Fire blazed in his chest. “You  _ bastards!”  _ He thrashed against Gajeel’s hold. “Let me go! I’m gonna tear their spines out!” He hissed as his brother’s claws pierced through his skin. 

“Not in the middle of the street,” he growled. “Scarlet’ll have your head on a goddamn pike, and fuck knows what Ju or Levy’ll do to me.” 

Happy leaped off Natsu’s shoulder, and stared up at Rogue and Sting. “What’s wrong with you!?” he practically wailed. “Natsu’s been worried about you!” 

“Happy, not now,” Pantherlily hissed. 

But he ignored him. “You killed your parents!?” 

Sting shrugged. “A dragon’s a dragon.” He offered Natsu and Gajeel one more toothy smile before shoving past them. “See you around,  _ dragons.”  _

Rogue’s lip curled up in a snarl as he followed, and they melted into the crowd of shell shocked bystanders, unsure of how to react to four angry dragon slayers. 

Gajeel finally let go of Natsu. “I’m gonna fucking kill them.” 

Natsu jerked away. “Go fucking fix them!” he shouted. 

_ “What?” _ Gajeel demanded. 

Natsu snarled and flared his wings. “You were a goddamn bastard when we met, go talk some fucking sense into them!” 

Gajeel bared his teeth. “I didn’t  _ kill _ Metalicana!” 

Natsu whirled around and marched down the street. “Whatever. It’s gettin’ late. We need to head back. And tell Wendy what’s going on.” He forced his fire down, before he got pissed enough that he screwed up and accidentally lit something on fire. Because Gajeel was right. Erza  _ would _ have his head if he did something like that. 

* * *

Gajeel couldn’t  _ wait _ to knock his brothers down a few pegs. The smug bastards needed nothing less. 

And he didn’t need to smell all the smoke Natsu was huffing to know he felt the same way. 

_ Did they really kill Weisslogia and Skiadrum? When?  _ Obviously it had to have been after they were all separated, because Gajeel sure as hell didn’t remember  _ that, _ but then that meant Sting and Rogue had to have been with Weisslogia and Skiadrum  _ after _ they were separated from everyone else. 

They hadn’t just woken up in the woods all alone one night. 

“So let me get this straight,” Gray said. “Your long lost brothers are  _ here, _ and are hellbent on fighting you?” 

“I think they want us fucking  _ dead,” _ Natsu grumbled. “Kinda want to kill them, too.” 

Erza frowned. “While I realize that’s not an ideal situation, at the moment, I’m more concerned with where Wendy is. Midnight is in few minutes.” 

“I’m sure she’ll be here,” Levy said. “Wendy wouldn’t lose track of time like that.” 

Gajeel hummed in agreement, though he was dreading having to tell her that Sting and Rogue were back like this. He’d imagined finding them many times, and it always involved a happy reunion, not whatever the  _ fuck _ that had been. 

Gray grimaced. “Loke isn’t here either.” 

Everyone looked to Levy. 

“Uh… well, of course, if she doesn’t show up, I’ll take her place,” she said. “I  _ did _ agree to being an alternate.” She fidgeted with the hem of her dress, obviously more worried about competing than she was admitting. 

“Mira’s back, didn’t they go out together?” Natsu asked as he looked out the window. 

Erza shook her head. “She came back fairly early, but Lisanna was still out with Wendy and Charle. No one’s seen any of them.” 

“Do you think she’s okay?” Levy asked. 

“I’m sure she’s fi—” Erza began. 

Across the street, a clock chimed midnight, and gravity began to shift. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levy, in every situation: it would be great if things just didn't go wrong somehow 
> 
> Levy: *is immediately disappointed*


	10. Center of Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Games officially begin, and Wendy and Lisanna are found

Levy grabbed onto Erza as the city rumbled and the pressure of gravity began to shift. She dared to look out the window, to see the streets and buildings twisting and writhing as they collapsed into each other, forming a massive sphere above Crocus. “Just looking at that thing makes me sick…” she admitted. Obviously this had something to do with the preliminaries. Were they seriously going to have to go inside that thing? They’d be  _ upside down, _ among other things. 

Erza and Gray looked towards Natsu. 

“What?” he asked. 

Gray pointed towards the writhing mass of city. “Can your stomach handle that? Or are you going to be throwing up all over the goddamn place the entire time?” 

Natsu scoffed. “It ain’t movin’ so it’ll be fine.” 

Levy  _ really _ didn’t understand how something like  _ this _ was perfectly okay, but a normal train ride wasn’t for the dragon slayers. 

“Levy, you’re up,” Erza said. “Let’s get going.” 

Dread spread through her chest. When she agreed to being an alternate, she never expected she’d ever actually have to  _ do _ anything. She’d expected to be on the team purely for strategic decisions,  _ not _ this. But there was no backing down now. “Right.” She could only hope her leg wasn’t too much of a hindrance for them. 

“Someone needs to be out lookin’ for Wendy,” Gajeel said. “It ain’t right that she wouldn’t come back like that.” 

Natsu nodded and nudged Happy awake. “Hey, Happy. We need you to go out and look for Wendy, Charle, and Lis, okay?” 

“Aye, sir,” the Exceed said as he stretched. 

The floating labyrinth shifted again, and various pathways stretched out over Crocus, one of them stopping in front of their window. 

“Let’s get going,” Erza said, stepping onto the pathway without a moment’s hesitation. 

Levy took a deep breath and followed her. 

* * *

Lucy glanced up at the massive labyrinth, wondering how everyone was doing. It certainly seemed like a difficult challenge. She couldn’t even imagine trying to navigate her way through that mess, let alone trying to do such a thing with so many other teams trying to do the same thing before you. 

She couldn’t believe that only the first eight teams to solve the maze would be the ones moving on. That was such a small number, considering how many teams were entered! 

She shook her head. That wasn’t the priority right now. Everyone who wasn’t competing, was out searching for Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle. 

“I feel kind of bad,” Loke said, glancing up. “Levy has to do that now because I wasn’t there.” 

Lucy shook her head. “You had no way of knowing that Wendy wasn’t going to show up. Besides, I’m sure she’ll do fine. Levy’s smart, and powerful. She can handle this.” 

He grimaced. “Erza’s gonna give me hell, though.” 

Lucy had no way to comfort him over that. She wouldn’t want Erza pissed at her either. “Well let’s find Wendy, Charle, and Lisanna and make up for it.” 

But as the minutes ticked by, she was getting more and more concerned. Those three weren’t exactly the type to loose track of time or get lost in the city.  _ Especially _ not with Wendy needing to be back at the inn in time to compete. 

She got the sick feeling that something might be wrong, which was the last thing that any of them needed at the moment. 

“Lucy!” Loke grabbed her shoulder and pointed across the street. 

Sprawled across the sidewalk, were their three missing guildmates. 

“Oh god.” They dashed across the street, and Lucy knelt down next to them, checking for their pulses, thankfully finding them. “Well they’re not  _ dead.” _

Even if they  _ looked _ kind of dead. The sick pallor of their skin could not amount to anything good. 

“You carry Charle,” Loke said. “I can get Lisanna and Wendy. Something’s not right. Their magic feels off.” 

Lucy grabbed Charle, nestling her against chest. “What do you mean?” How could something be wrong with their  _ magic? _

He shook his head. “I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right. We should probably send word to Porlyusica.” 

Lucy grimaced. The healer wasn’t going to like that. Although, she might come quickly if she knew it was Wendy who was hurt, or sick, or whatever this was. She had a soft spot for the little girl. “Right, well, let’s at least get them back to the inn.” 

Natsu, Gajeel, Mirajane, and Elfman weren’t going to react well to this. 

* * *

“Is this easy to you?” Juvia asked as she sent an enemy mage careening over a ledge with a wave of water. “Suspiciously easy?” 

“Nah.” Cana waved her off. “We’ve just got a stacked team.” 

Juvia glanced behind them, just in time to see Laxus sent volts of lightning raging down the path, putting anyone behind them out of commission. “That might be it.” She knew that Erza and Laxus had done their best to divide the teams evenly, and as powerful as Juvia knew Erza’s team was, she couldn’t help but think that having Laxus and Mirajane on their team gave them an advantage. 

With Laxus picking off any enemies behind them, and Mirajane destroying anyone in front of them, Juvia and Cana had very little to do in the middle of their group. 

Their strategy was to protect Freed, while he got them through the maze. His ability to sense and read enchantments made it very easy for him to discern what sections of the maze lead to the center. So to let him concentrate, they’d set themselves up around him, taking and dishing out any attacks that they needed to while he guided them through the maze. 

“I wonder how Erza’s team is doing,” Mirajane said as she kicked a wizard off the narrow path. “Do you think they separated us on purpose?” 

Cana shrugged. “Probably. A team of ten could take out a team of five, no problem.” 

Juvia hummed in agreement. After realizing all the teams were being tossed into this maze all together, they considered banding their two teams together while they worked through it, but they had been deposited in completely separate positions. Cana was right. The people in charge had probably made sure they were nowhere near each other so they couldn’t do that. 

Freed looked up from his enchantments. “I’m sure they’re doing just fine. We should be more concerned about reaching the center before them.” 

“Yeah,” Laxus agreed. “I’m not gonna listen to Salamander’s bragging if they get there before us.” 

“Yeah, I guess we should worry about ourselves,” Mirajane said. “I’m sure they’re doing great.” 

* * *

“This map is all fucking wrong!” Gajeel shouted as he ripped the map from Erza’s hands. “We’re going in goddamn circles! Let Levy do it!” 

Erza growled and tried to snatch it back, but Gajeel held it above her reach, grinning. 

Levy groaned. They were  _ never _ going to get through this maze like this. Gajeel was right. They were going in circles, fighting anyone they came across, but making no actual progress. They’d tried making a map, out of what sections they’d been to, but… without being  _ too _ harsh, Levy wasn’t sure if Natsu, Gray, Erza, or Gajeel had the ability to  _ read _ a map, let alone make one. She’d caught a few glimpses of Erza’s monstrosity, and it looked like a bunch of random lines. 

She grabbed Gajeel’s arm, forcing it down so she could grab the map. “Oh, Erza…” She shook her head. “Alright, we might as well start from scratch.” 

Gray snorted. “I don’t think we have time for that. We’ve been up here forever. At this rate, we might have better luck knocking other teams out of the race, rather than trying to solve this maze.” 

Levy shook her head. “No. I can do this. But you’re right. We’ve already wasted quite a bit of time, and going in circles has… made this a bit confusing.” She peered around Gajeel, to see Natsu taking care of a team of wizards several yards back. “But you’re all very good brawlers, so I tell you what. See if you can’t steal some maps from other teams. We can’t be the only ones trying to make one.” She frowned, thinking. “Also… do you think Natsu’s strong enough to carry me?” 

* * *

After that, they got a little bit of a strategy together. Levy could only hope it was enough, considering they spent the first part of the event running around in circles like morons. 

Maybe it was a good thing she ended up competing in this. If it had been Loke, she didn’t even want to imagine the mess this team might have been in. Wendy may have been able to figure something out, but Levy wondered if she would be authoritative enough to get everyone else to listen to her. 

Using his sense of smell, Gajeel was hunting down any unlucky mages that happened to be nearby, and he, Erza, and Gray would take out the team, and steal whatever map they had. Not all the teams they found had maps, but at the least, they were taking out a lot of competition. 

Levy did her best to piece the maps together, but they weren’t entirely accurate. Plus, she was in the process of making her own map from above. 

She made a mental note to test if the dragon slayers had enhanced strength at some point when she had the time, because Natsu was having no issues carrying her bridal style while she scribbled down sections of the maze. 

It was difficult, due to everything being rolled up into a ball and all the shifting gravity if they got too close to one of the other paths, but they were managing. 

“Levy, we’ve got another piece!” Gray called from below. 

Natsu growled. “They get the fun part. They get to fight everyone!” 

Levy rolled her eyes. “Take us down.” She wondered if Natsu and Gajeel had always been so eager for fights. She almost laughed imagining them, about eight years old, mad because they couldn’t fight the world. 

They dropped down, and Levy jumped out of his arms to take the map from Gray. It didn’t take her long to piece it onto their own, which was beginning to get rather large and cumbersome. “I think I’ve got it!” she exclaimed. “Look here.” She pointed to one of the paths. “I can’t see the end yet, obviously. But it doesn’t have any dead ends. All the other ones do. I’ll bet that’s the one that leads to the center.” 

“Great, let’s go.” Erza began marching down the path. 

“Not that one!” Levy said. 

She turned on her heel and headed down a different one. 

“Or that one.” She had to bite back a laugh. As much as she loved the people she was working with, she had no idea how they managed to go on quests alone. “How about you let me lead?” 

Erza nodded. “Gajeel, Natsu, bring up the rear.” 

* * *

“I tried to keep from touchin’ her too much,” Natsu muttered quietly. 

“Huh?” Gajeel asked. 

“While I was carrying Levy,” he clarified. “Sorry if she smells a lot like me.” 

Gajeel’s eyes widened as he realized what his brother was saying. “Why would I care about somethin’ like that!?” he snapped. 

Natsu snorted and shook his head. “I know I’m stupid when it comes to that kind of thing, but it’s a hell of a lot easier to figure out when you’re scenting someone.” 

He growled, shooting Levy a wary glance, hoping she wasn’t listening, but she was too absorbed in the map, trying to explain it to Erza. “If you say  _ anything—” _

Natsu rolled his eyes. “Why the fuck would I do that? It’s your own damn business.” 

Gajeel frowned. It wasn’t necessarily that he thought Natsu would say something on  _ purpose, _ but tact wasn’t exactly his strong suit. Not to mention he told Gray and Erza  _ everything, _ without really thinking about it. Juvia he knew he could trust to keep her mouth shut. But Natsu… “I’m serious. I’ll fucking kill you.” 

Natsu growled. “Shut up. No you won’t.” 

Gajeel lightly whacked the back of his head, then ruffled his hair. “Yeah, whatever. I got better things to worry about than her.” 

“Tell her,” he said. “Erza says you’re supposed to tell people when you like them.” 

He shook his head. He wasn’t about to take relationship advice from  _ Erza Scarlet, _ even  _ if _ she happened to be the only one of them with a girlfriend. Levy would never like him that way, and he was decent enough to not put her in an awkward situation by telling her.  _ Especially _ not after that terrible night around the fire when Wendy decided to dig him and Natsu a fairly large hole by telling them all about their dragon instincts. “Tell you what,” he said. “I’ll tell her when ya tell that Strauss chick you got a thing for her.” 

Natsu snarled and whacked him with his wing. “I do not!” 

“Whatever.” At least Gajeel could admit it to himself. 

* * *

It took longer than they hoped, but thanks to Levy, they made it to the center of the maze. 

In eighth place. 

Erza nearly had a come apart when she found out how close they were to being disqualified. 

“There better not be another damn maze anywhere near this goddamn competition,” Gray muttered as he shook his head. “That was awful.” 

It was made worse by the fact that Laxus’s team came in first place. They were never going to live that down. 

“You suck!” Cana cackled as they were transported back to the inn. “You all fucking suck! We got first! Ya hear that! We did better than Erza’s crew!” 

“Shut the hell up!” Gray snapped. 

“Now, now,” Mirajane scolded. “I’m sure everyone did their very best.” 

“It’s not fair!” Natsu argued. “It’s just because you got Freed!” 

Freed shrugged. 

“Yeah, but you got Levy,” Cana pointed out. “I would say she balanced it out brains-wise, but apparently not. Not even she could make up for all you dumbasses!” 

“Oh yeah? And what intellect did you contribute, you alcoholic bitch?” Gajeel grumbled. 

Cana flipped him off.

Erza pinched the bridge of her nose. While she was thrilled both of their teams made it through, gave them twice the chance to win this thing, perhaps they should have laid down some ground rules about… teasing the other team. 

Although, she knew she couldn’t say anything, because the second her team won something, they were going to be bragging just as heavily. 

They stepped into the inn, prepared for rejoicing over both teams making it to the finals, however, they were greeted by a very somber mood. 

“What’s wrong?” Juvia asked. 

Loke grimaced. “We found Wendy, Charle, and Lisanna.” 

* * *

Mirajane stared down at her sister’s body, her hands covering her mouth. She’d never seen Lisanna’s corpse, obviously, but she’d imagine that this was pretty damn close. 

Completely limp, her skin pale and waxy, had she not been told otherwise, Mirajane would have assumed the worst. Wendy wasn’t any better off. Nor was Charle. 

“Who did this?” Gajeel demanded as Juvia held his hand, probably trying to keep him from flying off the handle. 

The Master shook his head. “We don’t know. Loke and Lucy found them like this on the street. No one was around, and we haven’t been able to wake them up.” 

Natsu snarled around a mouthful of smoke. 

“A rival guild?” Erza suggested. 

Mirajane couldn’t imagine that a guild would want to win the Games so bad they would hurt a little girl. Never mind that Lisanna wasn’t even competing. But then again… Fairy Tail members tended to end up with the worst luck. 

“What about your brothers?” Gray asked Natsu. “You said they were aggressive. Think they’d do this?” 

Natsu and Gajeel exchanged a glance, but eventually shook their heads. 

“Nah,” Gajeel said. “Not their style. They’d want us to know it was them.” 

Natsu nodded in agreement. “Besides, they got light and shadow magic. And they don’t smell like Sting and Rogue. They don’t smell like  _ anything,  _ which is real fuckin’ weird.” 

Mirajane fidgeted with the hem of her dress. What could have possibly done this? Completely incompacitated two powerful mages in the middle of Crocus with no one noticing? 

“Did someone tell the council?” Erza asked. 

Juvia scoffed. 

The Master shook his head. “We didn’t see much of a point. We doubt they would do anything.” 

“So what are we gonna do?” Natsu demanded. “We can’t just let them get away with this!” 

“We don’t even know who ‘they’ are!” Mirajane argued. “We’re going to have to wait on them to wake up and tell us what happened.” 

Natsu huffed and crossed his arms, falling against the wall. 

“We did contact Porlyusica,” the Master said. “Hopefully she’ll be here tomorrow to treat them, though I hope they’re at least awake before then. Whatever this is, it’s very strange. Loke said it felt like they’d had the magic drained out of them.” 

Mirajane grimaced. “Like channeling?” 

He shook his head. “Just gone.” 

Everyone in the room shifted, trying to figure out what that even  _ meant.  _

The Master sighed. “Congratulations on making it to the next portion of the Games,” he said. “I wish we could celebrate under better circumstances. Don’t let this get in the way. We’ll still win.” Then he left the room. 

Erza frowned. “Does that mean Levy’s still in until Wendy’s better?” 

Mirajane nodded. “Once an alternate has subbed in, you can’t replace them with the other one unless they’re too injured or ill to compete.” 

Erza hummed. 

Natsu growled. “I’m gonna tear apart whoever did this.” 

Mirajane couldn’t help but agree. They would be angry if  _ any _ of their members were attacked like this, but whoever had done this was a fucking idiot. 

For hurting Wendy and Lisanna, they were going to have some real monsters hunting them down. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Levy has so much to put up with on that team, and things don't really get any better for her


	11. Game Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle awake, the competing teams are announced, and Crime Sorciere discusses their business in the capital

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember anything,” Lisanna said. 

Wendy shook her head. “Me neither.” All she remembered was walking down the streets with Lisanna and Charle, admiring all the lights and architecture of a big city, and then…  _ nothing. _ Just waking up in the infirmary. “Charle?” 

The Exceed shook her head, before nestling further into Wendy’s lap. “Not a thing, I’m afraid.” 

Porlyusica sighed. “They’re not going to be happy about that. Your moronic siblings were chomping at the bit to go pay back whoever did this.” 

Wendy frowned. “Mine or Lisanna’s?” 

“Both! They’re all horribly violent and all have terrible tempers!” Porlyusica snapped. 

“They’re not that bad,” Lisanna attempted to argue. 

Wendy didn’t even try. There was no point in denying Natsu’s ferocious temper, and Gajeel’s wasn’t much better, even if he was a little better at controlling himself when he got mad. And though she’d never really  _ seen _ Elfman and Mirajane very angry, she didn’t doubt that they had intense tempers as well. “But we’re okay now, so it’s fine.” 

She didn’t want anyone wasting their time hunting down whoever or whatever did this for something as petty as payback. Sure, it would be nice to know, to figure  _ why _ they attacked them, and if they were targeting Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle specifically, or if they were just after Fairy Tail in general, but they had bigger things to focus on. The Games were more important. “We made it through the preliminaries, right?” 

Porlyusica rolled her eyes.  _ “Of course _ that’s what you would be concerned with. But yes, both teams made it through the preliminaries. If I recall correctly, Miss McGarden took your place, Wendy.” 

She let out a breath of relief. She didn’t know what she would do if they failed already, all because she hadn’t made it back to the inn by midnight. 

“Oh, you can’t blame yourself, Wendy,” Lisanna said. She stepped out of her bed, stumbling over to Wendy’s on shaky legs, before sitting next to her, and pulling her over to lean against her. “They managed to make it through. And even if they hadn’t, that  _ wouldn’t  _ be your fault. You know that, right?” 

She sighed. “Yeah, I know, but… Miss Levy had to compete because I wasn’t there! I know she didn’t want to compete, not really! She just agreed to this because she’s too nice to say no!” 

Charle scoffed and pawed at Wendy’s hand. “Nobody made Levy do anything she didn’t want to do. Sure, she’s much nicer than most of the brutes you surround yourself with, but she’s still not nice enough to do something she didn’t want to.” 

Softly, Wendy ran her fingers through the Exceed’s fur. “I suppose not…” Not to mention that Gajeel wouldn’t let anything  _ bad _ happen to Levy. “But I’m awake now, so I can get back on the team!” 

Porlyusica whacked the back of her head, very gently, though. “You will not! Not until your magic has returned! If you try to compete in this idiotic competition without being at your best, you  _ will _ end up seriously hurt that way.” 

Wendy whined, and flopped backwards. “But Miss Porlyusica! Natsu would do it anyways!” 

The healer shook her head. “You had the potential to be such a tolerable human being, if only it weren’t for the influence of those ridiculous Fairy Tail bastards.” 

Lisanna let out a breath. “She is a little right. You really… shouldn’t try to take after Natsu in that regard.” 

Wendy knew she was right. Of course she did. If Natsu was in her position and he still tried to go out and fight, Wendy would throw a fit. But that didn’t change that she still wanted to do it. 

“Besides, the Games have already started for today,” Porlyusica said. “Levy’s competing again.  _ If _ you start regaining your magic at a steady pace, maybe you can go back in tomorrow. But for now, you stay here.” 

Wendy groaned and crossed her arms. “Whatever.” 

“God, you’re not thirteen for another few weeks, you can’t start acting like a moody teenager yet,” Porlyusica said. 

“Two more weeks,” Wendy said. 

“Mmm.” 

Lisanna chuckled and began to play with Wendy’s hair. “I’m sure you’ll be back in by tomorrow.” 

She sighed. She really hoped so. 

* * *

Loud jeering greeted Erza and the rest of her team as they stepped into the arena. 

She expected nothing less, but it still made her blood boil. These people hadn’t even seen what they could  _ do, _ their opinions were based solely on the magic council’s biased reports and stories of them. 

She supposed the guild’s less than stellar performance the last time they entered might have something to do with it, but she was going to blame it all on the magic council. 

“This is fucking stupid,” Gray muttered beside her. 

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” Levy said, though Erza could tell the insults were bothering her. “We’ve suffered worse. And we just have to prove them wrong!” 

Natsu’s wings were folding around him, and his eyes darted warily around the arena. Wary growls rumbled from his chest. 

“Come on.” Gray patted Natsu’s back. “You’re fine. Is it too loud?” 

Erza gnawed at her lip. She hadn’t even considered that. A stadium this large was bound to be filled with a lot of noises and smells that the slayers weren’t used to. She knew her own senses were going haywire, but she managed to fight through it. 

A glance towards Gajeel told her he was a little twitchy as well, though not nearly as bad as Natsu. 

“I’m fine,” Natsu said as he shook his head. “Just need a second to get used to it.” 

Gray nodded, but didn’t remove his hand from his back, just kept rubbing calming circles. 

The other teams were announced as they stepped into the arena. Lamia Scale. Blue Pegasus. Quatro Cerberus. Mermaid Heel. 

She was a little intrigued by the guild  _ Raven Tail. _ She thought the name was vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. 

Sabertooth was announced as the second place guild in the preliminaries. She glared coolly at Sting and Rogue, who glared right back. 

She wasn’t quite sure what the make of the pair. Briefly, after Natsu and Gajeel had stomped into the inn, very obviously pissed about  _ something, _ she wondered if they were angry with Sting and Rogue the same way Natsu had been angry with Gajeel. Pissed, sure. Pissed like siblings got sometimes, but ultimately, they still wanted to be around each other, still cared for each other. 

But then they explained how Sting and Rogue had killed their dragons. 

She wasn’t sure if Natsu or Gajeel would ever forgive them for something like that. They had yet to tell Wendy, and Erza wasn’t looking forward to the fallout from that. 

But now that she could see them, smell them, sense their presence, she decided that she didn’t like them either. 

Never mind the fact that any enemy of Natsu’s was an enemy of hers, Sting and Rogue unsettled her. There was something  _ unnatural _ about their presence, about their magic, but she couldn’t place it. 

Something was off about them, that was for sure. 

Beside her, Gajeel snarled. 

“Don’t,” she hissed. “The last thing we need is to make a scene right at the beginning.” 

He glanced at her. 

“I’m all for you, Natsu, and Wendy beating them to hell later, either during a competition or when no one’s around, but not  _ right now,” _ she said. 

“Whatever,” he grunted. 

And finally, the second Fairy Tail team stepped out, greeted by the same booing and jeers as Erza’s team was. 

But unlike her team, they took it in stride. Laxus didn’t react at all, and neither did Freed. Mirajane and Cana waved and blew kisses to the crowd, with Juvia awkwardly following their lead. Not a single scrap of shame or anger came from the team. 

“Well that kinda pisses me off,” Gray muttered. “They got the attractive, crowd pleasing members.” 

“The fuck are you implying about all of us?” Gajeel asked. 

Erza chuckled. “To be fair, Mira is hotter and has more charisma than all of us. Crowds love that kind of thing. I think.” 

“You’re biased!” Natsu said. 

Gajeel, Erza, Gray, and Levy all turned their attention back to the other team. 

“I admit they have a bit more charm than us,” Levy said. 

“Definitely more attractive than us,” Gray said. “Natsu, Gajeel, you’re dragging us down.” 

_ “What?” _ Natsu demanded. 

“Objectively, I think Mira and Laxus are two of the most attractive guild members,” Erza said with a shrug. 

Gajeel rolled his eyes. “Natsu’s right. Y’er biased. And really? The lightning bitch? Freed’s better.” 

“What, you into twinks?” Gray asked. 

Gajeel flipped him off. 

“Juvia’s cute,” Levy said as she twirled her hair around her finger. 

_ “Juvia?” _ Gray and Gajeel demanded in unison. 

Erza sighed. “I think this is why they look better than us. They’re trying to look good, and we’re down here arguing about which members of the pretty team are prettiest.” 

Levy shook her head. “No, Freed and Juvia are pretty. Mira, Cana, and Laxus are  _ hot.” _

“What the fuck is happening?” Natsu asked. 

* * *

“Ooooo, I can’t wait! This is going to be so fun!” 

Loke jerked backwards, trying to figure out where the fuck this little girl had come from. 

“Where did you come from!?” Lucy shrieked as she jumped back into Loke. “Who are you?” 

“Oh!” The girl giggled. “I’m Mavis! Mavis Vermillion!” 

Confusion spread throughout the Fairy Tail members, chatter over how this little girl couldn’t  _ possibly _ be their founder. 

“I’m just a ghost!” she assured them. “But you know, Tenrou does get boring every now and then. I thought this would be fun.” 

Loke frowned. “Excuse me?” The founder of Fairy Tail was a little girl? And she’d come back as a ghost, just to watch them beat other guilds to hell? 

Had this damn guild always been crazy!? 

Makarov pulled the girl off to the side, trading hushed whispers with her. He seemed to have no issues believing that this was the First Master. 

“That’s… weird,” Lucy muttered. 

Loke sighed and shook his head. “What even is weird anymore? Sure, the First Master’s back as a ghost. Why not?” 

Lucy laughed. “Yeah, why not.” She leaned over the ledge of their guild’s little terrace. “She’s gonna do great, don’t you think?” 

He glanced down at Cana, grinning like she didn’t have a care in the world as the crowd booed her. “You know, she thrives on dysfunction. I think all this negativity might make her perform better.” 

Lucy huffed and whacked the back of his head. “She does not. But yeah, spite seems like a big motivator for her.” 

“You’re right. She’ll do great,” he said. 

* * *

“Why are you here?” Makarov asked. “Why now?” 

Mavis smiled, bright and blinding. “I just felt like it!” She  _ was _ being a little truthful. Tenrou was boring, especially after the excitement of the Grimiore Heart attack. Technically, she didn’t need to reveal herself to the whole of Fairy Tail just yet. 

But why not? 

Makarov obviously didn’t believe her, but he didn’t press the issue. 

So Mavis’s smile widened, and she pranced back to her place sitting on the ledge. 

* * *

“You’re being emotional, Jellal,” Ultear grumbled as they crept through the walls of the stadium. “There is no reason for us to be here.” 

He sighed, hating that she was right. With Fairy Tail agreeing to be their eyes and ears in the capital, they really  _ shouldn’t _ be here. Especially not with the magic council on high alert due to the Grand Magic Games. “I don’t feel right about tasking other people with our own agenda,” he finally said. “We should be taking the lead on this ourselves, with Fairy Tail as backup, if it truly comes down to it.” 

Ultear huffed and rolled her eyes. “She has a girlfriend, man.” 

“I don’t need you pointing that out every five minutes,” he muttered. 

“I’m going to keep pointing it out until you get it through your thick skull,” she said. “Pining over a taken woman gets you nowhere.” 

He grimaced. “I refuse to take relationship advice from the woman who let her crush pine after her for years before finally admitting you had feelings for her, too.” 

“Yeah, but we’re lesbians, Jellal,” Meredy pointed out. “We dance around each for ages. It's what we do. And again, Erza is taken. And might be a lesbian too?” 

He shook his head. “No, she’s definitely not.” He hadn’t told Meredy and Ultear about his and Erza’s almost kiss. He wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t embarrassed, he didn’t think… It just felt… intimate, even though they hadn’t done anything. Really, all that had happened was Erza shutting down any chance they might have together. 

Not that Jellal would ever want to come between her and Mirajane, anyways. It was obvious they loved each other, and he hadn’t even been around them that much. 

“Well whatever,” Ultear said. “If we’re here, I have something I want to work on, too.” 

Jellal glanced at her. “What do you mean?” 

She sighed. “I…. I want to do something for Gray.” 

“Awwww.” Meredy patted her girlfriend’s shoulder. “You going soft, sweetie?” 

“Hardly!” she protested. “I just want to pay him back for sparing my life, so we’re even! I don’t want to owe that stupid man anything!” 

“Yeah, whatever. Act like you don’t want to be friends,” Jellal said. “What are you wanting to do?” 

“I’m going to figure out what the council is hiding about his girlfriend’s father’s death,” she said. 

“Pardon?” Jellal demanded. “You want to snoop around the  _ council?” _ She had to be joking! If she was caught… 

She shrugged. “I suppose. I heard him talking about it with Natsu. He’s suspicious, and I don’t blame him at all. I would be as well. Besides, that’s one of the  _ least _ dangerous things I’ve ever done.” 

Meredy hummed and cocked her head. “It is a very sweet gesture, dear. But don’t you think you should bring it up to him before you go digging into it?” 

“Why?” she asked. “What’s the point? Actually, it would be more difficult with him. I feel like he’s not very good with stealth ops.” 

Jellal rolled his eyes. “Gee, whatever gave you that idea?” 

“He’s a Fairy Tail member,” she said. “I don’t think any of them even know they can speak quieter than ‘soft yell.’ Their whispering sounds like normal talking.” 

Meredy snickered. 

“Well I’m not going to stop you,” Jellal said. After all, he was the one dragging them through Crocus for Erza. “Just please be careful.” 

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not dumb enough to be killed over something like that.” 

“Actually, I would like to help Fairy Tail out as well, after what they did for me,” Meredy added. “I’m going to look into whatever happened to the youngest takeover mage, and Wendy.” 

Jellal grimaced. They’d been keeping an eye on Fairy Tail since they’d gotten to the capital, and he had no idea what had happened to those two girls. And while he was concerned over it, it didn’t really seem like a priority, given everything that was going on. “Meredy,  _ why?” _

She shrugged. “I just want to help them out, you know. They’ve got a lot on their plate.” 

“So do we!” he pointed out. 

She grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn and look into her wide, pleading eyes. 

“Dammit, Meredy,” he hissed. “Fine. Just… don’t get too caught up in it? We are here to search for Zeref, after all.” 

Meredy squealed, bouncing as she did a little dance. 

Ultear sighed. “We really are idiots for getting mixed up with that stupid guild.” 

“Yeah,” Jellal muttered. “Just a little.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Tail A: absolute disaster bisexuals, minus Natsu
> 
> Also, I live for Meredy and Ultear giving Jellal grief over his ridiculous crush on Erza. They're the bestest of friends 
> 
> And the next few chapters are going to be action packed! I'm super excited, and I hope you enjoy them


	12. Bitter Defeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray and Juvia compete in the first competition, and Levy fights against Flare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really mean to Levy in this chapter and I feel kinda bad.....

“Juvia, you’re up first,” Laxus said. 

“Me?” she asked. They wanted her to compete  _ first? _ Why? Wouldn’t it be better for Laxus or Mirajane to go first? They were S-Class, after all. It would probably help them establish a heavier presence quicker. 

He nodded. “Mira and I are heavy hitters. There’s no sense in showing our whole hand this early in the competition.” 

“Oh.” She supposed that made sense, too. “Alright then.” The first event probably wouldn’t be too hard. They would want to help establish power levels first. 

* * *

Gray hissed as more and more copies appeared. If there was no penalty for attacking a copy, he could just mow them down with a huge spell, hitting other competitors in the process. But that wasn’t an option. 

He wasn’t that great at sensing magical energy, so he was at a serious disadvantage here. 

But it was fine. He’d accomplished harder things than this. He could do this. 

* * *

Sidestepping around one of the multiple copies, Juvia began to think that  _ maybe _ Laxus or Mirajane should have done this event. She had yet to find  _ anyone, _ and according to the announcers, the other guilds were already tearing each other apart. 

And Gray wasn’t faring too well. 

She sighed as she continued to wind through the city, desperately trying to find the action. They were idiots for not entering the dragon slayers in this event. Their heightened senses would have given them a  _ serious _ advantage. 

At this rate, Fairy Tail was going to end up in the last two places. 

With a groan of frustration, she climbed onto one of the roofs. Maybe a view from above would help. She bounding across the rooftops, sensing for the others’ magic energy. 

The magic pressure spiked, and she leaped off the roof, zeroing in on Lyon. She felt a little guilty as she drove her foot into his spine, he had seemed like a nice person, but she needed the points. 

“Juvia!” Gray exclaimed, just before Raven Tail’s wizard attacked him from behind, and he disappeared in a flash. 

Juvia leaped backwards, but not fast enough. The attack slammed into her, and next thing she knew, she was laying on the ground in a completely different portion of the city. “Dammit!” 

* * *

Gray had never been so jealous of Erza and Natsu’s heightened senses before. If he could smell his opponents, hear their heartbeats, this would be so much easier. 

Maybe he wouldn’t be getting beat to hell. 

Why was Raven Tail targeting them? Nalpudding had ignored Lyon while he was wide open, just for another shot at Gray. 

Snow began drifting down from the sky, but he paid it no mind. Something like that wasn’t going to affect him. He rounded a corner just in time to see the Blue Pegasus mage take out a handful of competitors, before Lyon retaliated with an attack of his own. 

Gray called on his magic, intending to land a shot on Lyon before he noticed he was there, but someone struck him from behind. Nalpudding’s laughter rang out, just before Gray was transported elsewhere. 

“God _ fucking _ dammit!” he snarled. What was Raven Tail’s  _ problem?  _ How much time was left? 

He sprinted through the city, determined to find the action again. 

Darkness spread over the sky. 

_ What the hell?  _

Bright, shining lights shot over the sky, and Gray shrieked as one of the lights connected with him. 

Losing him yet another point, and zapping him off somewhere else.

* * *

Juvia fell to her knees as the city began vanishing, signaling the end of the event. Zero points. It had taken everything she had just to get out of the negatives. 

She hadn’t improved at all, had she? 

Second to last place, and she couldn’t even find a little solace in that, because Gray had come in last, and she  _ knew _ Gray was better than her, he’d just been targeted far more than her. 

She choked back her tears. She’d failed them! She’d failed her guild... 

* * *

“Gray…” Erza tried to grab him, but he shoved her away as he left the arena. 

Was he really that damn useless? Last place… And he couldn’t pretend it was because of Raven Tail’s targeting, because he should have been able to take that wizard out without it being an issue. 

And Sabertooth’s member…. What  _ was _ that magic? Some kind of make magic, evidently, but he’d never seen anything like it. 

“Hey.” 

He growled. “The hell do you want, Natsu?” He really wasn’t in the mood for teasing. 

Natsu’s eyes flickered with fire, shining brightly in the darkness of the hallway. “We’ll tear them to pieces. All of them. Raven Tail and Sabertooth.” 

Gray grit his teeth. “Yeah.” 

* * *

Levy checked her leg brace for what felt like the millionth time, making sure it was fastened properly. It would reduce her ability to maneuver, but she didn’t want to risk her leg giving out on her should the fight drag on. 

She couldn’t believe she was the one chosen to fight first out of Fairy Tail’s teams.  _ Why? _ Was it because of her script magic? She supposed it was rather rare and could be difficult to master, but still. She figured that people would want to see the dragon slayers and Erza fight the most. 

She shook her head. It wasn’t like it mattered. She could do this. Taking in a deep breath, she stepped out into the arena. 

Across the arena, Flare Corona gave her a little wave, her crazed smile widening. Levy didn’t like the look of her. Actually, she didn’t like Raven Tail at  _ all. _ There were ulterior motives there, that was made evidently clear by their dogged pursuit of Gray and Juvia during the first event. 

But now they could face each other on even ground. 

“You’ve got this, Levy!” Erza called down from the balcony. 

“Beat her ass!” Natsu howled. 

She called on her magic, wanting to attack as soon as the match began. She wasn’t going to let them down. 

“For the first match of the day!” the announcer began. “Raven Tail’s Flare Corona, versus Fairy Tail A’s Levy McGarden!” 

The crowd went wild, hungry for a fight. 

“Come on, Shrimp!” Gajeel shouted. “Put her six feet under!” 

Levy snorted, though she couldn’t deny the warm fuzzy feeling in her chest as she realized even  _ Gajeel _ was cheering for her. 

The announcer signaled for the match to begin. 

“Solid Script: Fire!” Levy shouted, wasting no time, sending a burst of flame towards Flare. 

Bright red exploded from Flare’s braid, her hair expanding and blazing with a fire of its own as it gobbled up Levy’s flames. 

Levy grit her teeth. So fire was out then. 

Flare’s hair whipped across the arena, and Levy just barely managed to roll out of the way, marveling at the magic’s speed. She’d never seen anything like this before! Was the girl seriously using her hair as a  _ weapon? _ It was fascinating! 

But she could admire it later, when the girl wasn’t trying to beat her to a pulp. 

“Solid Script: Ice!” It was a little sloppy, considering she wrote it while summersaulting into a crouch, but it did the trick. The wave of ice crashed into Flare, sending her flying backwards. 

“Solid Script: Pressure!” The air slammed down on Flare before she could manage to get back up. 

“No one would have expected it!” the announcer screamed. “But Fairy Tail’s little script mage is clobbering Raven Tail!” 

Levy rolled her eyes, and prepared for another round of pressure, hoping that would be enough to knock the other girl out. 

The ground splintered around her feet, and Flare’s hair burst out of the earth, wrapping around her ankle and yanking her off her feet. 

_ Dammit! I didn’t think about tunneling!  _ As Flare swung her through the air, Levy noticed all the strands of her hair digging into the ground. She was so stupid! She should have noticed that much earlier! “Solid Script: Knife!” 

She sliced through Flare’s hair, leaving her to be flung across the arena. She couldn’t stop the cry of pain as she landed on her bad leg, but she forced herself up. She didn’t deserve to win if she couldn’t take a few hits. 

Flare hissed. “Dumb Fairy Tail girl…” Her hair exploded outwards, wrapping around Levy before she could dodge. 

She began to summon another knife, but Flare tugged her close, so close she was nearly pressed against her chest. “Nah ah ah…” she whispered in Levy’s ear. “Be a good little fairy.” She leaned back and tugged at a strand of her hair that was still burrowed into the ground, before nodding her head towards the balcony that most of the guild was watching from. 

Levy growled, but glanced up to see what the girl was implying. 

A strand of flaming red hair danced behind Bisca’s daughter, swaying playfully. Her eyes widened. “Asc—” 

Flare wrapped a strand of hair around her mouth. “Hey now… I said be good.” She giggled. “I would so hate to have to do something rash. I could end that little girl in an instant.” 

Levy stopped squirming, going limp.  _ Asca… _ She couldn’t risk that girl’s life for something as petty as a competition. 

“That being said…” Flare used her hair to lift Levy up, before flipping her upside down and shaking her like some kind of doll. “I can’t just have you surrender. That would be too suspicious.” 

_ No, no, no, no…  _ Levy writhed, desperately trying to escape the confines of Flare’s hair. It was too similar…. Way too similar to being pinned down, iron digging into her skin, unable to escape as he played with her,  _ hurt _ her. 

Flare’s laughter grew high and frantic. “Oh! You don’t like that very much, do you!” She peeled her hair away from Levy’s face, only to flick at the line of scar tissue across her face. “Looks like this might have come from something similar!” Fire flickered across her hair as she drug it over the scar tissue. 

Levy screamed. 

Flare prodded at her other scars, ripped away her leg brace. “Broken fairies… broken fairies. I can’t believe they gave me a broken fairy to play with!” 

Levy turned frantic, clawing at Flare’s hair and  _ screaming. _ She couldn’t go through that again.  _ Not again, not again, not again!  _

“Oh?” Flare tossed Levy to the ground and leaned over her, her smile wide and feral. “You want me to hurt the little girl, too?” 

Levy froze. “No… No!” 

Flare grabbed her cheek, her nails digging into Levy’s skin. “Then stop  _ struggling.”  _

Levy went limp. 

* * *

Natsu had sprinted off, but Erza couldn’t even be concerned with that. It was taking every bit of her strength to keep Gajeel from jumping onto the field. 

“Let me fuckin’ go, Scarlet!” he roared. “I’m gonna tear that bitch apart!” 

“Gajeel, we  _ can’t! _ She’s got Asca!” She doubted anyone other than her and the dragon slayers had heard that. And she couldn’t let Gajeel down there. Who knew what this crazed woman would do to Asca if someone else stepped on the field! 

“She’s hurtin’ Levy!” he snapped. 

Erza dug her fingers into his jacket. “Don’t you think I know that!?” Levy’s screams tore into her, made her chest  _ ache, _ but Flare wouldn’t kill her. Not with this many people watching. 

She might kill Asca, though. 

Gajeel snarled and shoved her away, but didn’t try jumping into the arena again. 

The crowd speculated over Levy having used too much power, wondered why she wasn’t fighting back, and of course, it turned into more jeering over how useless Fairy Tail was. 

_ “LEVY!”  _

Erza jerked her head towards the other balcony, just in time to see Natsu burn up a handful of Flare’s hair. 

But it was too late. Levy was already limp on the ground, completely unconscious. Flare stepped back, a victorious grin on her face. 

Erza didn’t stop Gajeel that time. 

In fact, it took everything in her not to jump into the arena as well, and run her blade through the Raven Tail bitch’s heart. 

* * *

Flare was damn lucky she’d already left the arena by the time Gajeel got down there, or he would have torn her limb from limb. 

He fell to his knees next to Levy. “Hey…” He nudged at her shoulder, determined to ignore the burns that littered her skin,  _ especially _ the one running across her face, right over the scar from the muzzle he’d put on her. “Come on, Shrimp. Wake up. Y’er gonna be alright.” 

Her eyes began to flutter open, before she gasped and tried to push herself away. “Ge-Get away from me!” she shrieked, before curling in on herself. 

Gajeel jerked his hand back. He could sense her confusion and hurt, her fear. Fear of  _ him. _

He got up and stumbled back a step as other guild members flooded into the arena to make sure she was okay and help get her to the infirmary. 

Horrible guilt unfurled in his chest. He’d heard Flare’s jeers,  _ broken fairy, _ as she beat Levy senseless, reopened old wounds, literally and figuratively. 

It’d become easier to look past what he did to her, to not only see the scars when he looked at her recently. But from the beginning, she’d never really been  _ scared _ of him. Or at least, she didn’t show it. She was  _ angry. _ He liked angry. It showed she was tough, and he knew how to handle anger. 

But fear… 

She was  _ scared _ of him. Was that why she was so nice to him? She just didn’t want to upset him because she didn’t want him to hurt her? 

He needed to stay away from Levy. 

* * *

“I-I’m sorry, Erza,” Levy whimpered as tears began to trail down her cheeks. “I know we needed the win… I got too cocky… I didn’t notice what she was doing…” 

“Do not apologize!” Erza said firmly. “You have nothing to be sorry for! You fought well, and had Flare not used such deplorable tactics, you would have won the match.” 

“But still, I…” She sniffled and wiped at her nose. “Any of you would have still found a way to win…” 

Erza sighed and sat down in the little infirmary bed. Being mindful of her injuries, she wrapped her arm around Levy’s shoulders. “I don’t know about that. And I know… that must have been hard for you.” 

She hunched her shoulders. “It probably wouldn’t have been so bad… if she hadn’t fixated on my old scars.” 

“We’ll put Loke in for you tomorrow, if Wendy’s not better,” Erza said. “You didn’t exactly want to compete anyways, did you?” 

“Well, I…” She let out a breath. “Not exactly, mostly because I felt that you had better options, and you  _ did. _ Today only proved that.” 

Erza shook her head.  _ “No. _ We never would have made it past the preliminaries without you. And like I said,  _ you _ should have won the match. The only reason you didn’t was because you were protecting Asca.” 

She couldn’t wait to beat Raven Tail’s teeth in. And she knew Gray, Natsu, and Gajeel were fantasizing about it as well. She might have felt sorry for the guild, had Flare not just pulled that little stunt. 

Levy grit her teeth and choked back a sob. “I wish I were better… You’re all so strong, and I’m just…  _ not.”  _

Erza almost told her she was wrong again, but she knew Levy wouldn’t believe her. “I’ll keep you in, if you want another chance to prove yourself on more even ground.” 

She shook her head. “No. The real reason you put me on your team was to strategize. I would be defeating my own purpose if I insisted you kept me in over Loke or Wendy for something so petty. You can’t deny that they are far more suited to combat than me.” 

“Well, alright then,” she said. “If that’s what you want. Just know, that I don’t regret my decision to put you on my team in the least.” 

* * *

“I won’t win,” Freed said. 

“Don’t fuckin’ talk like that!” Cana snapped. “You better not roll over and show your belly, no matter how damn powerful that wizard is!” 

He sighed. “That’s not what I meant. I intend to fight as hard as I can, but I won’t win against someone as powerful as Jura.” 

Cana huffed, hating that he might be right. They’d gotten their asses kicked in every event today. It was starting to get a little embarrassing. 

Laxus gripped Freed’s shoulder. “You’ll do fine.” 

“Perhaps you could drag it out,” Mirajane suggested. “Get it to end in a draw.” 

Freed nodded. “That’s probably the best strategy.” 

* * *

Freed barely lasted three minutes, but not even Cana could find it in herself to blame him. She doubted she would have lasted any longer against Jura. 

He’d tried to write his enchantments, even tried to use that weird dark magic he had, but it was hard to fight an opponent that could turn the very  _ ground _ against you. Especially when Freed’s magic worked best after being written  _ on the ground.  _

It was just a really bad matchup. 

And so their team finished the day in seventh place with one point, and the guild’s other team in eighth with zero. 

They were off to a  _ fantastic _ start. 

She couldn’t wait to get back to the inn. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be the only one drinking tonight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for the next few chapters, they're going to be super fun to write! As you know by now, I'm changing up some of the matches as far as who fights who, and I'm gonna have some really fun battle scenes coming up, as well as more intense stuff with Sting and Rogue


	13. Tooth and Nail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two of the Grand Magic Games commences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this house, we respect female characters so Mirajane and Jenny are expected to beat the shit out of each other like everyone else without putting their tits on display

“We lost every event?” Wendy asked as she nestled further into the blankets. “Oh… Is Miss Levy alright?” 

Natsu growled. “Porlyusica says she’ll be fine, and we’re puttin’ you back in. Unless you want Loke to compete.” 

She shook her head. “No, no! I want in! I want to compete!” 

Charle huffed. “I still think you could do with another day on bedrest.” 

Natsu grinned and ruffled her hair. “I’m sure you’ll do great. But…” He glanced at Gajeel, who’d been concerningly quiet ever since they got back. “We have somethin’ to tell you…” 

She frowned. What could have happened in the past day that would make them… so unsettled? 

“Sting and Rogue are here,” Gajeel said. “They’re competing for that Sabertooth guild.” 

Wendy gasped and sat up straight. “Sting and Rogue?” She smiled. She couldn’t wait to see them! Recently, as more and more of her memories faded, she became worried she’d forget what they looked like, sounded like, she was so young when they all separated, after all, but now they were back! She wouldn’t have to forget! 

Gajeel grimaced, and Natsu turned his gaze away, like he didn’t want to look at her. “What?” she asked. “What’s wrong?” 

“They killed Weisslogia and Skiadrum, and hate us,” Gajeel said. 

Natsu smacked his shoulder. “Way to ease her into it!” 

He growled. “The fuck’s the point? She’s gotta know.” 

Wendy’s grip on the blankets tightened. “W-What?” They’d  _ killed _ Weisslogia and Skiadrum? “They wouldn’t do that! They wouldn’t kill the dragons!” 

Gajeel sighed. “They weren’t lyin,’ brat. I wish they were. Think we might be next on the list. We’re not any better than dragons to them.” 

Charle nosed at her hand. “Wendy?” 

Her breath caught in her throat as she began to cry. Weisslogia and Skiadrum were  _ dead. _ She would never see them again… And what did that mean for Grandine, Metalicana, and Igneel? Had they been killed, too? 

She wiped at her tears. “Th-They really hate dragons now?” Hated dragons enough that that was all they saw them as? Just more dragons to be slain? 

Natsu tugged her close, and resettled the blanket around her shoulders. “Looks kinda like it, but we’ll beat some sense into them.” 

Gajeel nodded and bared his teeth. “We’re not lettin’ ‘em get away with this.” 

She didn’t want to fight against Sting and Rogue, she really, really didn’t, but it seemed like she might not really have a choice. “Yeah…” 

* * *

“Looks like your brother’s competing for Sabertooth today,” Erza said. 

“I’m competing!” Gajeel and Natsu shouted. 

Gray shoved his way past them to grab at Erza. “No, I’m competing!” 

“You competed yesterday!” Natsu said. “It’s my turn!” 

“Um… the game is called  _ chariots,” _ Wendy attempted to point out. “Perhaps a dragon slayer isn’t the best—”

“Gajeel will compete,” Erza decided. “He spoke first.” 

_ “What!?” _ Natsu demanded. “We said it at the same time!” 

* * *

“This was real fuckin’ bad idea,” Gajeel muttered as soon as he learned they were going to be put on  _ actual _ chariots. 

“Godammit,” Laxus swore next to him. “I  _ told _ Mira she should compete in this.” 

He was already feeling queezy just  _ imagining _ when these things started moving. Gajeel’s only consolation was that Laxus and Sting weren’t looking too thrilled either, so he might not come in  _ last. _

The chariots began to move, and Gajeel immediately wished he had skipped breakfast that morning. 

The other five competitors shot off, leaving the three dragon slayers to stumble along behind them. Laxus immediately lurched over to the side to throw up. 

Sting scoffed. “That’s disgusting.” 

After listening to Wendy bawl for  _ hours _ because of Sting, his voice was the  _ last _ thing he wanted to hear. Especially not while he was still pissed off at Raven Tail, and felt like puking his guts up. 

He drove his fist into Sting’s face, and took off as quickly as his shaky legs would let him. 

* * *

“He just… sucker punched him…” Gray muttered. 

Natsu crossed his arms and turned his nose up. “Good. He fucking needs it.” 

Wendy groaned and leaned over the balcony. She  _ knew _ dragon slayers entering this event was a bad idea.

“Oh god, he just threw up everywhere,” Gray said. 

Wendy dared to look up, wincing when she saw he was right. Gajeel was puking his guts up in front of  _ thousands.  _

“It’s fine,” Erza said through gritted teeth. “We’ll just have to win the battle segment.” 

* * *

“Looks like y’er not as human as y’er pretending to be,” Gajeel sneered as Sting heaved, just barely keeping himself from throwing up. 

His brother’s lip curled up in the beginnings of a snarl. He didn’t even have  _ fangs. _ Whatever they’d done to prevent the transformation, they must have figured it out  _ years _ ago. “Fuck off, Gajeel.” 

Gajeel whirled around to hit him again, but Laxus grabbed the back of his shirt. “You can beat him to hell later,” he growled. “Right now we need every point we can get.” 

“Let go of me, you lightning prick!” he hissed, but he didn’t try to attack Sting again. 

“You’re trying so hard for one damn point?” Sting asked. “You can’t catch up to everyone else!” 

Gajeel grit his teeth. “I’m gonna hit him again.” 

Laxus scoffed, but didn’t stop him this time. 

_ You want to fight a dragon so bad? You can fight a fucking dragon. _ He whipped around, and swiped his claws across Sting’s face. 

Sting screeched and stumbled backwards a pace, hand flying up to try and stop the blood flow. He growled, and began to call on his magic, before keeling over, unable to keep the vomit down any longer. 

Gajeel sniffed, flicked the blood off his claws, and staggered across the chariots. 

He managed to cross the finish line just a few seconds before Laxus, and collapsed, face down in the dirt. The world was spinning, and the scent of Sting’s blood stuck beneath his claws did nothing to help his nausea. 

God, it’d be nice to be able to reunite with a sibling without trying to kill each other. 

* * *

“Evergreen’s going to tease you over this for a while,” Freed said. 

Cana howled with laughter. She could almost forgive Laxus for coming in next to last, just to see him struggle through an  _ extremely _ simple challenge. The smug bastard could stand to be taken down a peg or two. “You fucking hurled in front of  _ so _ many people!” 

Laxus snarled. “Shut the fuck up, Alberona.” 

Freed gently rubbed his shoulder. “You shouldn’t feel bad. You couldn’t help something like that, and we were the ones who insisted you compete in this round.” 

“Still hilarious,” Cana snickered. “I assumed  _ I  _ would be the one throwing up in front of everyone due to a badly timed hangover, but, ya know, this works, too.” 

Laxus huffed. 

“I wonder what the battle segments are going to be today,” Mirajane mused as she rested her elbows on the ledge. “Hopefully they go better than yesterday.” 

“Today’s first matchup, is Quatro Cerberus’s Bacchus, versus Fairy Tail A’s Gejeel!” the announcer shouted. 

“Well shit,” Mirajane muttered. 

* * *

“Bacchus?” Gray asked. “Wasn’t he that pervy guy that was bothering you and Cana last night while we were all at the bar?” 

Erza grimaced. “Yeah… Gajeel isn’t gonna win this easily.” 

“Wendy’s treatin’ his motion sickness,” Natsu said. “He’ll be fine!” 

She shook her head. “He’s S-Class, basically. I’ve run into him a few times.” 

Natsu frowned. “I don’t like him.” 

“Me either,” Erza said. His womanizing aside, he was a cocky man, too proud for his own good. One of those people that you just really wanted to punch. 

“Guess it’s not surprising they’ve already got Gajeel fighting,” Gray said. “Being a dragon slayer and all. Sucks that it’s right after that chariot nightmare, though.” 

Natsu sniffed. “Told you you shoulda let me compete!” 

Gray rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you would have done any better!” 

“Oh yeah!?” 

“Yeah! I think you would have come in  _ last!”  _

Erza sighed. They needed this win, and they needed it  _ bad. _ Any more losses, and it would be impossible to catch back up. “Come on, Gajeel,” she muttered. “It’s time to stop losing.” 

* * *

Wendy cleared up the last of his motion sickness symptoms, before giving him a hug and nuzzling against him. “You can beat him. You can win for us!” 

“Yeah, yeah.” He rested his chin on top of her head. “I’ll tear ‘im to fucking pieces.” 

Wendy pulled back. “Except, you know, maybe  _ don’t _ bite him? Just… not in an arena match.” 

He laughed. “I’ll do whatever the fuck I want, brat. Now get. I’ve got a fight to win.” 

She glared and growled at him, but turned and walked back down the hallway. 

* * *

Levy tuned out Pantherlily’s fretting over Gajeel fighting so soon after being so sick. She leaned over the ledge as Gajeel stepped into the arena. 

He hadn’t come to check on her at all since her fight against Flare. She thought she remembered him in the arena, when she’d been shifting in and out of consciousness, but she wasn’t sure. 

It shouldn’t bother her, they weren’t  _ that _ close, but… pretty much everyone else had, so why hadn’t he? She thought they were friends… 

She shook her head. It wasn’t important. 

“Oh, I can’t wait to watch a dragon slayer fight in person,” Mavis said as she excitedly kicked her feet. 

Levy spared her a glance, still not quite used to the ghost of their First Master so casually showing up, all because she was  _ bored.  _

The match began, and Levy snapped her attention back to the arena, just in time to watch Bacchus and Gajeel tear into each other. 

* * *

As soon as he stepped into the arena, Gajeel recognized his opponent as the sleazy bastard that had run off with Cana’s top the previous night. 

He bared his teeth and snarled. He didn’t know Cana that well, but he sure as hell didn’t think that looked like a consensual thing. 

“I saw the way you tore into that Sabertooth prick,” Bacchus said, before gulping down a mouthful of booze. “You’re a vicious bastard, aren’t you?” 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. Was this guy seriously  _ drinking? _ Something was up. He decided to end this fight as soon as possible.

“Come on,” he said when Gajeel didn’t answer. “I’m trying to have a nice conversation here.” 

The announcer shouted for the match to begin. 

_ “Iron dragon roar!”  _ A point blank breath attack should put  _ anyone _ out of commission. 

But Bacchus sprang out of the way, easily avoiding the attack, before bounding back around and driving his palm into Gajeel’s chest. 

He went flying backwards, before scrambling up, growling. So this might be a little harder than he had been anticipating. 

* * *

“He’s getting his ass kicked,” Gray said. 

“I did say Bacchus would be a tough opponent,” Erza said. “And he could still pull through.” 

Natsu and Wendy were leaned over the ledge, screaming cheers, and threats, should Gajeel lose the fight. 

Gray turned his attention back to the battle. Even after turning his skin to iron, Bacchus had no problem knocking Gajeel around the arena. It was everything the dragon slayer could do just to dodge the attacks, and he wasn’t even actually dodging most of them. Any attacks he attempted, Bacchus easily avoided. 

“He’s too quick,” he said. 

Erza sighed. “Gajeel is not exactly what I would call  _ nimble. _ It definitely puts him at a disadvantage here.” 

Gray winced as Bacchus drove his palm into Gajeel’s chin, snapping his head back and leaving him to fall backwards. For a horrifying second, Gajeel didn’t move, and Gray worried he’d been knocked out, but slowly but surely, he forced himself back up. 

“It doesn’t help that he lost stamina thanks to the chariots event,” Erza continued. “Neither does Bacchus’s erratic fighting style.” 

Gray hummed in agreement as Gajeel tried to go on the offense, only for his attack to completely miss the mark again. He couldn’t track Bacchus’s movements. No one could. “Gajeel better come up with a decent strategy quick, or we’re fucked.” 

* * *

He couldn’t follow the damn wizards fucking movements! Gajeel had never seen a fighting style like this in his  _ life, _ and it was  _ infuriating  _ him, which only served to make his own attacks sloppier. 

The way Bacchus attacked left hardly any time for him to dodge, and he was too quick on his feet for Gajeel to land any decent hits. Even his iron skin didn’t seem to be deterring the man. 

“You’re too obvious!” Bacchus taunted as he landed a hit between Gajeel’s shoulder blades, leaving him to stumble forward. “Your moves are so  _ predictable.”  _

He whirled around, prepared to punch the jackass in the face, but Bacchus was already leaping backwards. “I have to say, I’m a little disappointed,” he said. “Erza was always so strong that I had hope for a decent match with someone from your guild. But after that pathetic enchantment wizard, the useless script mage, and now  _ you, _ I’ve kind of lost hope.” 

Gajeel growled, and attempted another breath attack, but once again, Bacchus dodged. 

He bared his teeth. His movements were too  _ predictable?  _ He knew of one surefire way to fix that, but it wasn’t going to be a good time for  _ anyone _ involved, including himself. 

“Sorry, brat,” he muttered. He really hoped he snapped out of it as soon as the match was over. After taking several steps back from Bacchus, he took a deep breath, and let his instincts take him. 

They were always there, clawing and tearing at him, wanting complete and total control, so it was easy to let them have it. A deep snarl rumbled in his chest as he suddenly felt  _ trapped, _ and threatened. He fell into a crouch, his claws flexing as his eyes darted around the arena, before zeroing in on Bacchus. 

The  _ threat.  _

“Oh?” Bacchus narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. “Something about you just changed, didn’t it?” 

A deep, guttural noise ripped from his throat as he leaped towards Bacchus. 

He stumbled backwards, eyes widening. 

Gajeel’s claws sliced through the air, barely an  _ inch _ from where Bacchus had been standing. He hissed in frustration. 

Bacchus aimed another strike for his head, but this time, Gajeel didn’t try to dodge. He let the attack come, but just before it landed, he shifted, twisting so he could lock his jaws around Bacchus’s forearm, his teeth  _ crunching _ through his armor. 

Bacchus gasped, and desperately tried to rip his arm free. 

Gajeel sank his claws into his chest, letting go of his arm so he could shove him to the ground. For a second, Bacchus struggled, tried to pry his claws out of his chest, until Gajeel leaned down and snapped his teeth, just  _ barely _ missing his throat, a very obvious warning to stay still.

“What the hell are you?” he gasped, his eyes growing wide with fear. 

Gajeel snarled in response. Blood dripped down his chin and onto Bacchus’s face. 

He wasn’t sure how long he had him pinned, but it was announced that he won the match after having Bacchus pinned for so long. 

He managed to fight back the instincts long enough to let Bacchus up, and it took everything in him not to pounce on him again. God, he hoped Natsu or Wendy could snap him out of this soon. 

As Natsu dropped down in front of him, his beating wings stirring up the dirt, it finally registered that he’d  _ won.  _

Natsu demanded to know if he was okay, before he began working to pry control away from his instincts. 

But Gajeel didn’t even care. 

He  _ won. _

* * *

Mirajane rolled her shoulders as she stepped into the arena. She didn’t know a lot about Jenny, but she did know she used transformation magic, and transformation magic could be a very tricky thing. 

She would know, wouldn’t she? 

She heard her guildmates cheering for her, Lisanna and Elfman managing to get louder than everyone else, and she steeled herself. 

Gajeel had fought tooth and nail for his victory  _ (literally), _ and she planned to continue their winning streak. Fairy Tail was going to claw their way back into this competition, and this match was going to be her team’s first step towards the top. 

She didn’t go on quests often, the world often wondered why and how she managed to earn the rank of S-Class. Today, she intended to show them. 

Jenny shifted into her battle form before the match technically began, and Mirajane couldn’t help but smirk. If that was the best she could do, this match would be over soon. 

The match began, and she called on her strongest takeover form. 

She would end this  _ quickly. _ Sure, the crowd might like the drawn out fights, but she didn’t. And besides, a fast, absolute victory was the best way to demonstrate power. Don’t even give the enemy a chance to hit back. 

Her takeover form settled, and Jenny scoffed. “That looks rather  _ tacky.”  _

Mirajane grinned, her lips pulling back from her sharpened teeth in a too wide smile. Personally, she thought her takeover forms were very flattering. 

She splayed her talons, and launched herself forward. Magic power exploded from her, and she drove her fist into Jenny’s chest. 

The Blue Pegasus mage flew backwards, smacking against the wall of the arena so hard that the stone cracked around her. She was unconscious before her body even hit the ground. 

For a second, the crowd was silent (except for Fairy Tail’s wild cheers), before they went  _ insane,  _ cheering and shouting and applauding. 

Mirajane let her takeover form fade away. 

They would finally learn that Fairy Tail was as mighty as ever. 

* * *

Erza whooped and hollered as Mirajane left the arena, waving and smiling at the crowds. “That’s my girlfriend!” she shouted. “Look at what she did! Isn’t she  _ amazing?” _

Gray rolled his eyes, but smiled. “We’re the only ones on this balcony, Erz. And yes, I know how amazing Mira is.” 

She patted his shoulder. “You’ll understand after you get a girlfriend.” 

“Sure,” he said. “I wonder who’s up next.” 

She shrugged. “I hope Natsu is back soon. You know how he likes a good fight. It would suck if he missed all of them.” 

Wendy and Natsu had taken Gajeel to the infirmary, less to check for injuries, and more to get him away from the noise while they… fixed him? Got him thinking straight again, more like. Erza still couldn’t quite believe he nearly let himself go feral just to win that fight. She hadn’t realized he was so serious about this. 

But thanks to him and Mirajane, both of Fairy Tail’s teams had a fighting chance once again. 

* * *

“I can’t believe she bet her  _ life,” _ Loke said. “Those Sabertooth bastards are all fucking batshit insane.” 

Lucy hummed in agreement.  _ She _ couldn’t believe that these games were this intense. First, there was the nightmare with Asca yesterday, and now  _ this. _ It wouldn’t surprise her if someone actually did end up dead before they were over. 

“My money’s on the chick with the sword,” Loke said. “She’s not taking this seriously. She’s just toying with the other girl.” 

“You think so?” she asked. She’d thought that Yukino was actually doing pretty well. She managed to open  _ two _ gates at once to allow Pieces and Libra through. Lucy could barely manage that herself. 

Loke nodded. “Oh yeah. I mean, look at her. She’s as calm as can be, even though gravity’s flinging her all over the arena. She’s not even drawn her sword, for fuck’s sake!” 

“I guess that is true.” Maybe she’d been too distracted by Yukino’s abilities to really focus on Kagura’s. 

Loke was proven right when Kagura managed to cut through Yukino’s major technique and land the final blow, all without unsheathing her sword. “Told you,” he said. 

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. That was odd, though. I never actually believed that Ophiuchus existed.” 

Loke shrugged. “Evidently.” 

“You didn’t know either?” she demanded. 

“I have better things to pay attention to.” 

“Like  _ what?”  _

She scoffed and shook her head. He really was hopeless. 

She didn’t notice Yukino’s fear as she stepped out of the arena, head bowed in shame, and body tremorring with panic. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I start classes again on Tuesday and I'm not ready yall (although I am taking my first creative writing class and I'm a little excited about that). Anyways, I'm hoping that school doesn't slow down my updates, but I figured I'd give a little heads up, just in case


	14. Celestial Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jellal talks with Erza, Milliana makes an appearance, and Yukino meets with Fairy Tail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a semester off, and then changed my major to computer science, and had to go to IT for help connecting my laptop to the fucking internet LMAOOOOO it's gonna be a steep fucking learning curve my dudes

Humiliation was to be expected. Yukino  _ knew _ that, had braced herself for it, but she could never have prepared for this. 

Defeat wasn’t tolerated, but she never thought that the standards would be this absolute, that just a single loss was enough to get her  _ banished.  _ She fought back her tears as she gathered up what little she owned, grateful that she had been allowed even that. 

Then she got angry at herself for feeling grateful for something as pathetic as being allowed to pack her bag. 

“You got too cocky.” 

Yukino yelped, clutching her bag even tighter. When she realized it was only Sting, she relaxed. A little. “You’re one to talk,” she managed to force out, though her voice shook, losing some of the bite she’d been hoping for. 

Sting sighed. “Shame. You had a lot of potential.” He turned his palms up. “But what are you gonna do?” 

_ You could have protested, stood up for me, done  _ anything _ but just stand there! _ They didn’t have friends in Sabertooth, but they did have allies. She assumed that Sting would always be in her corner, but evidently not. “Whatever.” She bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling. “I’ll see you around, Sting.” 

“Wouldn’t count on it,” he said. 

Yukino hung her head, leaving her guild,  _ former _ guild, for the last time. 

* * *

Someone grabbed her shoulder, and Erza whirled around, sword in hand, quicker than the other person could even hope to react. 

“Woah.” Jellal held his hands up and took a step backwards. “Sorry. That probably wasn’t a very good idea.” 

Erza let out a breath, before putting the sword away. “Jellal! What are you doing in the capital? I thought you said you shouldn’t come here!” Security and the magical council were crawling all over the whole city! This was an awful place for him to be! 

He sighed, and tugged his cloak tighter around his shoulders. “I know, but I can be good at sneaking around. And I couldn’t let you and your guild handle this alone. It’s our mission, anyways. Zeref has got nothing to do with you.” 

Erza wasn’t entirely sure about  _ that, _ their guild had had one too many strange encounters with Zeref and those connected to him for her to believe that they had nothing to do with the wizard, but now wasn’t the time to get into her suspicions. “We haven’t felt anything like the magic you described to us,” she said. There _was_ the incident with Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle, but she doubted that was what Crime Sorciere had meant. 

“Nor have I,” he said. “But like I said, I didn’t want to leave you to do this alone.” 

She sighed. “Jellal, I—” 

He shook his head and took a step back into the shadows of an alley. “I’m not expecting anything from you, a relationship of any kind. It’s not fair of me, not after everything I’ve done, and I don’t want to put you in an… awkward position. I promise I’m just here to discover who or what that magic belongs to.” 

“You shouldn’t have to feel that way!” she practically shouted as she closed the distance between them.  _ “I’m _ the one who tried to kiss you, and then stopped!” She shoved her finger into his chest, and he shuffled backwards, ending up trapped between her and a brick wall. “I’m the one who messed this up! I don’t  _ want _ you to just be someone I’m working with! I  _ care _ about you! I just…” She grabbed his shoulder and bowed her head. “I need to get this figured out. I need to talk to Mira. And that’s if  _ you _ even want to try this. But until then…” She glanced up at him, offering her brightest smile. “Friends? Can we please just be friends? Nothing more, and nothing less.” 

It was hard to read his expression in the darkness, so she tugged him back out onto the street. It was late, and no one was out, so it was fine. “Well?” she asked when he didn’t reply. 

Jellal just stared at her for a moment, before laughing softly. He shook his head. “You’re really something, you know that, right?” He sighed. “Any sane person would want nothing to do with me, let alone be  _ friends, _ among other things.” 

She snorted. “Since when have I  _ ever _ done anything sane?” 

He hummed, offering her a small smile. “I just wanted to let you know I was in Crocus. Meredy and Ultear are as well. Hopefully I can meet up with you in a few days. Good luck in the games.” He vanished back into the shadows. 

“Wait!” 

But he was already gone, disappearing into the back alleys. 

Erza sighed. She could have easily followed him with her heightened senses, but really, what would that gain her? She’d made up her mind. She liked Jellal, maybe even loved him, but she couldn’t,  _ wouldn’t, _ do that to Mirajane. 

And it was obvious that Jellal wasn’t quite sure what to do with her, anyways. 

Maybe after things settled down, they could talk. Really,  _ actually _ talk. 

She spared one last glance in the direction Jellal had gone, before shaking her head and heading back towards the inn. She shouldn’t even be out alone anyways. They decided no one should be alone after what happened to Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle. 

She made it down a few blocks, but froze. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Was someone watching her? She summoned her sword and sniffed at the air, catching a strange scent. A person, but distinctly  _ feline.  _

“It’s been a long time, Erzy! How’ve you been?” 

Erza’s eyes widened as she looked up, gazing at the silhouette lounging on the balcony. Her voice had changed, just slightly, still very high pitched and bubbly, and the feline scent made sense. “Milliana?” she dared to breathe. 

Milliana giggled and bounded down from the balcony, landing in a crouch, before jumping up and skipping towards Erza. “Erzy!” She pounced, wrapping her arms around Erza, squeezing her tight enough it caused her to gasp. 

Tears pricked at Erza’s eye. “You’re alive,” she choked as she hugged her back. Not only had Milliana survived all the brutality of the Tower of Heaven, but she managed to escape the Tower before it was destroyed. “Oh my god, you’re  _ alive.”  _

Milliana pulled backwards, smiling like a madwoman. “Cats have nine lives, you know.” 

Erza snorted with laughter, taking in Milliana’s cat ears, the stripes on her cheeks, her more feline-like nose. “I see nothing’s changed.” 

She shrugged. “The cat attributes are useful. Besides, even if I nullified the magic that gave them to me, I’m so used to them now, it would be hard to adjust to life without them.” She held Erza’s own pointed ear between two fingers. “Besides, you’re one to talk about body altering magic. When did you do this?” 

She batted Milliana’s hand away with a chuckle. “A few months ago. And they’re different, permanent, couldn’t get rid of them even if I wanted to.” She sat down on the ledge of a flower bed, tugging Milliana down to sit next to her. “What happened to you?” she asked. “How did you survive the Tower of Heaven? Where have you been all this time?” 

Milliana hummed, and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. “We just barely escaped the Tower when it was destroyed. That was you, wasn’t it? You did something.” 

“Ah…” She shook her head. “Honestly, no. It wasn’t me. Natsu destroyed the Tower.” 

“The dragon boy?” She cocked her head. 

Erza nodded. “I don’t think he really meant to, but when he fights, he tends to… destroy things.” A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Though I suppose it was a good thing that time.” 

Milliana giggled. “I want to thank him if I see him. We all made it out okay. Actually, after the little dragon slayer fought us, and we realized what Jellal was actually planning to do, we fled. I’m sorry I didn’t stay to help you fight…” 

Erza shook her head. “Don’t be. We made it out okay, and I would have never wanted you to put yourself in harms way for me.” 

Simon’s lifeless body flashed through her mind. She didn’t know  _ what _ she would have done, had Milliana’s corpse been lying next to his. 

“What have you been doing since then?” Erza asked. The last thing she wanted was to get into the details of the Tower of Heaven. 

Milliana’s ears perked up. “We traveled for a while! In fact, I think everyone else still is. I joined a guild, though. Mermaid Heel!” 

“The all women guild?” 

She nodded. “Kagura convinced me to join a few years ago!” A dreamy smile crossed her face. “She’s awesome, don’t you think?” 

Erza couldn’t help but hum in agreement. The skill she had demonstrated with a sword today was astonishing. Perhaps a little of Natsu had rubbed off on her, because she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to cross blades with her. It was bound to be an exhilarating fight. “A fearsome woman, no doubt.” 

Milliana squealed and pressed her hands to her cheeks. “She’s really something. I hope I can get as good as her one day!” 

Erza patted her shoulder. “Keep practicing, and I’m sure you will.” 

Milliana’s smile brightened, before it fell. “She wants to kill Jellal…” 

“O-Oh.” Erza fought to keep her voice neutral. 

“It’s not fair,” Milliana continued as she shook her head. “After everything he did, he  _ survived. _ He’s not even in prison! Kagura’s right. He doesn’t deserve to live.” 

Erza tensed. Of course, she had no intention to tell Milliana about her relationship with Jellal, or his connection with Fairy Tail to begin with, but now… Now she  _ definitely _ couldn’t. “Maybe you should try to move on,” she suggested. “He could be long gone by now anyways.” Definitely not just a few streets over. 

Milliana bared her teeth. “I tried, and it never felt right. Besides, Kagura would never forgive him. Not after what he did to Simon, and I won’t let her do this alone.” 

“Simon?” Erza dared to ask. 

Milliana bowed her head. “Kagura’s brother… He was the only family she had. She deserves her vengeance.” 

Erza gnawed at her lip. “I suppose so…” She should probably warn Jellal about Milliana and Kagura the next time she saw him. Kagura was obviously a very gifted individual, and she had no idea what Milliana was capable of at this point, so they very well could be a threat to him. 

“Erzy… Why do you have the same marking on your face as him?” Milliana asked as she brushed her thumb over the marking. 

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It just appeared, the same time as my other attributes. I’ve been trying to figure out what it means, but haven’t been able to.” 

Milliana’s eyes narrowed. “You’re sure it doesn’t have anything to do with him?” 

Erza shrugged. Surely the markings had to be connected somehow, but she had no idea how they might be. 

“Well, okay.” Milliana hopped off the flower bed’s ledge. “It was nice to see you again, Erzy. It’s nice that Fairy Tail’s back, but don’t expect to have an easy victory against Mermaid Heel.” She clenched her fist. “Kagura says this is the year we’ll finally take first place!” 

Erza raised an eyebrow and grinned. “We’ll see about that, Milliana.” 

* * *

“I can’t believe that restaurant didn’t have a bar!” Cana whined as they headed back towards the inn. “What kind of self respecting business doesn’t have a goddamn  _ bar?” _

Lucy rolled her eyes. “You know you can go a night without drinking, right?” 

Cana heaved a sigh. “Well yeah, but what’s the point?” 

Lucy shook her head. She didn’t  _ mind _ Cana’s drinking. Cana rarely drank enough that she couldn’t function, she didn’t get angry or mean when she was drunk, and though she complained, she  _ would _ stop if Lucy or Loke asked, so really, Lucy’s only concern was for Cana’s health, in the long run. However, she knew it was going to take a long while to wean Cana away from the alcohol, so at times like this, she forced herself to let it go. 

“Who the hell is that?” Loke asked as they approached the inn. “Is that the Sabertooth wizard?” 

Lucy’s mouth pressed into a thin line as she saw he was right. Yukino stood outside the door to the little inn, one hand clutching a rather small suitcase, and the other hovering over the doorknob, like she couldn’t decide if she actually wanted to go inside or not. 

“Oy, Sabertooth bitch!” Cana shouted as she waved. “What the fuck are you doing here?” 

Yukino jumped, a sharp squeak escaping her. “I… I just—”

“I’d suggest hauling ass outta here,” Cana said as they approached. “I know some dragon slayers who’ll gladly beat some Sabertooth ass.” 

Yukino’s eyes widened.

“Cana,” Lucy scolded. “Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy wouldn’t do anything to her, no matter how mad they are at their brothers.” 

“Brothers?” Yukino asked. 

Loke waved her off. “Doesn’t matter. Why the hell  _ are _ you here?” 

Yukino bowed her head, letting her hair fall into her eyes. “I wanted to give Lucy my keys…” 

“Huh?” Lucy leaned forward, confused as all hell.  _ “Why _ would you want to do that?” 

Yukino took a shaky breath. “I don’t deserve them.” She pulled the keys out of her pocket and tried to hand them to Lucy. 

“How about we go inside?” Loke suggested as he eyed the keys. 

* * *

“So you’re a celestial spirit?” Yukino asked with wide eyes, still standing stiffly by the door into Lucy, Loke, and Cana’s room. 

Loke shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I don’t spend a lot of time in the celestial spirit realm, though.” 

Yukino glanced between Loke, Lucy, and Cana. “I didn’t know that spirits dated humans.” 

He leaned back against the couch. “I’m a bit of a special case. But let’s talk about why you’re trying to give up your keys.” 

“Yeah,” Lucy agreed. “I don’t understand why you’re trying to get rid of them in the first place, let alone why you want to give them to  _ me.”  _

“I lost,” she said. 

“Yeah. So?” Cana demanded. “You got your ass kicked. It happens sometimes. And come sit the fuck down.” 

Yukino shuffled over and sat in the chair opposite of the trio. “You don’t just lose in Sabertooth.” 

“Explain,” Loke prompted. He still hadn’t taken his eyes off the keys Yukino still clutched like a lifeline. 

“They banished me,” she said. 

“Because you  _ lost?” _ Cana demanded. 

She nodded. “That’s how it works. You lose, you’re banished.” 

Cana whistled. “That’s fucked up.” 

“Do you have somewhere you can go?” Lucy asked. “Anywhere at all?” She didn’t like the idea of this girl out all alone. 

Yukino sighed. “I’ll figure something out.” 

“But—”

She shook her head. “Please, Lucy. Please, will you just take my keys?” She held them out again. “I don’t deserve them.” 

Loke scoffed. “Winning or losing a fight doesn’t dictate a spirit’s loyalty. Unless you’re getting rid of them because you don’t think they fought hard enough for you…” 

“No!” Yukino protested. “That’s not it at all!” 

“Then why are you giving them away?” Loke asked. “To someone you don’t even  _ know.”  _

“I…” She sniffled, and tears began to drip from her eyes. 

Loke and Cana jerked backwards, obviously not expecting her to start crying. 

“I just… I’m not good enough for a guild, and I-I want them to have a contract with a wizard who… who  _ deserves _ them.” She wiped at the snot beginning to drip from her nose. “I heard that Lucy had several Zodiac keys, and Leo, if you’re so loyal to her, she must be exceptional. She’s much more worthy to have my keys.” 

Lucy sighed. “Yukino, I’m flattered. But the fact that you care so much about your spirits proves that you  _ do _ deserve them.” She didn’t want Yukino’s keys. Not at all. The bond between a wizard and her spirits was  _ special. _ She didn’t want to come between them, unless both the spirits and wizard agreed on it, and even then she was iffy. “Besides, I’m sure there are plenty of other guilds that would take in someone like you, if that’s what you want.” 

However, Yukino wasn’t going to be deterred that easily. “But if you take them, you’ll have twelve Zodiac Keys! If you have all twelve, you’ll have the ability to open the Eclipse!” 

“The Eclipse?” Lucy asked. 

“The fuck’s an Eclipse?” Cana asked as she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. 

Loke frowned. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.” 

Yukino sucked in a breath as she turned her attention to Loke. “You haven’t?” 

He shook his head. 

“Oh…” She looked down again. “Never mind. Guess it really was a stupid old legend.” 

Cana scoffed. “Spit it out, honey. Stupid old legends have bit us in the ass a couple times now.” 

“Well…” Yukino set her keys down on the little coffee table. “My big sister used to tell me stories about something called an Eclipse, that was supposed to be opened when all the Zodiac Keys were present.” She sighed. “But if you don’t know anything about it, I guess it is just a story.” 

Lucy rolled her eyes and patted Loke’s shoulder. “Well I don’t know about that. This idiot didn’t even know that Ophiuchus was real.” 

Yukino stifled a laugh. “Really?” 

Loke pouted and crossed his arms. “Look, I’ve been out of the loop for a while!” 

“That is  _ no _ excuse!” Lucy said, exasperated, but she gave him a fond smile, before turning back to Yukino. “I’m not going to take your keys. They’re  _ yours. _ If you like though, I’m sure our Master could help you find a more suitable guild. Maybe even Fairy Tail!” 

Loke nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah,” Cana said. “The Master’s always pickin’ up strays.” 

But Yukino shook her head. “No, I’ll figure something else out.” Reluctantly, she picked her keys back up. “Thanks for talking to me, though.” And she left. 

Cana groaned and flopped back against the couch. “I’ll say it again. That’s fucked up. Tossing a girl that cute and kickass out onto the street ‘cause another cute, kickass girl beat her ass? Fucking tragic.” 

“She was cute,” Loke agreed. 

Lucy sighed. “I hope she knows what she’s doing and wasn’t just being stubborn.” 

* * *

Yukino turned down the hallway, wanting out of the inn as quickly as possible, not wanting to speak to any more overly nice Fairy Tail wizards, when she came nose to nose with the strange man with dragon wings. 

“Sabertooth kicked you out?” he asked. 

Yukino squeaked and stumbled backwards, remembering what the brunette woman said about the dragon slayers hating Sabertooth members. “Y-Yes.” 

His lip curled up, revealing too sharp teeth. “Because you lost?” 

She nodded, taking another step back. 

He snarled, breathing a small burst of flame, before shoving past Yukino, muttering something about how he was going to beat Rogue and Sting’s teeth in. 

Yukino gulped and sagged against the wall in relief, more thankful than she could articulate that that man was angry at her former guild, and not her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Hinting at Kagura/Milliana? You bet. Mermaid Heel is gaaaaaaaay


	15. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu attacks the Sabertooth guildhall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rogue and Minerva are so edgy, they shop exclusively at hot topic, and I love my edgy characters. I'm gonna have a fun time with them

“Natsu, are you sure this is a good idea?” Happy asked. “Don’t you think it might make Erza mad?” 

“‘Course Erza’ll be mad,” he said. “But I don’t care.” Sabertooth was really going to kick that girl out over losing  _ one _ fight? One fight against an  _ incredibly _ powerful opponent, at that. He’d deal with Erza later. Don’t start unnecessary fights? Well,  _ he _ wasn’t the one starting it. Sabertooth had done that all on their own. 

Sure, he might be using this as an excuse to confront Sting and Rogue again, but the reasons were unimportant. 

Happy trotted along at his heels, having caught him leaving the inn and refusing to let him go confront Sabertooth by himself. “What about Wendy or Gajeel?” 

He shook his head. Wendy would try and talk him out of it, and sure, Gajeel would probably enjoy what he was about to do immensely, but he wasn’t in the mood to share. He was going to show that damned guild what he could do, put his idiot brothers back in their places, and throw a few punches for that girl, who had deserved so much better. 

* * *

So Minerva was taking Yukino’s place on the team? Rogue couldn’t say he was surprised, but he  _ would _ miss Yukino’s presence, though he wouldn’t admit it. She was a calm, sweet presence, a very uncommon thing in Sabertooth. 

Something even rarer now that she was gone. 

Sting stiffened next to him. “You hear that?” 

Rogue hummed and cracked an eye open, glancing across the guildhall. “Hear what?” 

Sting scoffed and shook his head. “Come on, not even Natsu would be  _ this _ dumb.” 

Though faint, the sounds of a struggle echoed from just outside the guildhall. Rogue sighed, and shifted a sleeping Frosch from his lap and to the seat. What would possess Natsu to attempt an attack,  _ alone, _ on Sabertooth’s guildhall, at this ungodly hour? 

The guildhall’s doors banged open. 

Of course, Rogue had seen Natsu a few times now, but it was still just as shocking as the first time. 

His brother stalked into the guildhall, massive wings flared and fire flickering over his body. Smoke slipped from between his bared fangs, and he dragged an unconscious Sabertooth member behind him by the collar of their shirt. 

Rogue still didn’t understand what had happened to Natsu and Gajeel, why they were so similar to dragons now, but he couldn’t deny that he didn’t seem to hate it as much as Sting did. He’d asked his brother why it bothered him so much, but Sting had never given him a clear answer. 

But Rogue  _ did _ feel bitter against them. From the sound of it, they hadn’t had to kill  _ their _ dragons. Why did  _ he _ have to kill Skiadrum, if Natsu didn’t have to kill Igneel? 

Not only that, but Natsu and Wendy had immediately been taken in by Fairy Tail, while he and Sting roamed the countryside, just barely surviving, for  _ years.  _

Their supposed “family” had  _ abandoned _ them. 

Rogue was good at controlling and hiding his emotions, much better than Sting, anyways, but as Natsu entered their guildhall, their  _ home, _ his lip began to curl up in a snarl. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Sting demanded, already marching forward. 

Natsu dropped the man he was holding. “You kicked her out?” The question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, as if he were worried if he asked a single person, he wouldn’t be able to fight anyone else.

Rogue frowned, confused. Did he mean Yukino? He  _ must, _ but how the hell would  _ Natsu _ know about that? 

Then he noticed Yukino’s scent on him. It was faint,  _ very _ faint, and quickly fading. Had she seriously gone to  _ Fairy Tail?  _ Why the hell would she do that? 

“You kicked her out for losing  _ once?” _ Natsu picked up the unconscious mage again and shook him. “That mean he’s out too? Everyone else I went through to get in here?” He sneered. “That mean if I beat any of  _ you—” _ His gaze snapped to Sting and Rogue. “You’re out too?” 

“You couldn’t defeat  _ me,” _ Sting growled as he took another step towards Natsu. “Not as a first generation slayer.” 

Rogue glanced at the Master and Minerva, but they didn’t react at all to Natsu, so Rogue assumed that meant it was okay for them to deal with him. They just watched the exchange with cool expressions, though malice was beginning to dance in Minerva’s eyes. 

“First generation?” Natsu tossed the man off to the side. 

Other Sabertooth members began to creep forward, and magic began to build in the air. It was no secret that Rogue and Sting were related to the Fairy Tail dragon slayers, they’d never felt the need to hide it, even after admiration and caring decayed into bitterness and anger, and Rogue knew that the other members were just  _ waiting _ for them to slip up because of it. Show mercy, bow out of a fight against them. 

They didn’t trust them to handle Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy on their own. 

That… and Rogue knew that they all wanted a piece of Fairy Tail. Despite all the mocking, they all knew there was a  _ reason _ they’d been considered the best of the best seven years ago, and what better way to prove that that wasn’t the case anymore than by defeating them  _ personally? _

Rogue couldn’t even count how many of them wanted to cross blades with Erza Scarlet, trade blows with Gray Fullbuster or Mirajane Strauss, fight against one of the four slayers. 

And Natsu had just given them the perfect opportunity. 

* * *

_ “Do you think they’re looking for us, too?” Sting asked.  _

_ Rogue shrugged, before turning back to their pitiful fire. They’d never really learned how to make one, had never needed to with Natsu and Igneel around, but now…  _

_ The flames sputtered, barely clinging to the twigs and wet branches they’d scrounged up. Rogue scooted a little closer, desperate for the warmth. It was so  _ cold. _ It’d been a long time since he’d been cold.  _

_ “Why would they leave…” Sting wiped at the snot dribbling from his nose. “Did we do something wrong? Do you think it was… was… because of what we did to Weisslogia and Skiadrum?”  _

_ Rogue shrugged again. “People leave all the time.” His parents left him, the people who were supposed to care for him no matter what. Of course everyone else would leave too. Even Gajeel, Wendy, and Natsu.  _

_ Sting grabbed him, before sobbing into his shoulder. “‘M sorry,” he choked. “I’m… supposed to be the big brother… ‘M sorry!”  _

_ Rogue shook his head and began carding his fingers through Sting’s hair. “You’re only a year older than me. Besides… you know I don’t really… cry…” When was the last time he even  _ had? _ Even when his parents left him, it was more of a cool acceptance, rather than sadness and tears.  _

_ Was there something wrong with him?  _

_ “Doesn’t matter,” Sting muttered, clutching onto Rogue’s tattered clothes like a lifeline. “Do you think they’re okay?”  _

_ Rogue almost shrugged again, before realizing that would probably only make Sting more distraught. “They’re probably fine.”  _

_ “Yeah… Natsu and Gajeel are great. They’ll take good care of Wendy,” he said.  _

_ Rogue’s grip on Sting tightened, and he nearly bit his tongue to stop himself from pointing out that Wendy might not be with them. How could they know? If they’d gotten separated so easily from them with no memory of how it had happened, Wendy easily could have been torn away from them too. “We’ll all find each again.”  _

_ Sting sniffled.  _

_ “We will,” Rogue promised.  _

* * *

Minerva only watched with a cool smirk as Natsu Dragneel tore through any Sabertooth member that dared to attack him. 

She was brilliant at sensing magical energy, and she knew that this man’s magic was  _ formidable, _ not to mention inhuman, whether that was due to his draconic attributes, or something else, she couldn’t be sure, however. 

Vaguely, she remembered when Fairy Tail was the most powerful guild in Fiore. She’d been twelve at the time of their disappearance, but her father hadn’t exactly allowed her to keep up with the magical news of the world. 

She did remember catching a glimpse of Erza Scarlet and her team, though, a  _ long _ time ago. Fairy Tail had come to Crocus, but then had started fighting amongst themselves. She’d wanted to stay and watch, to see how the fearless woman with the swords would use them, but her father dragged her away, muttering about how idiotic a guild was for infighting like that. 

But even after they were far enough away she couldn’t see or hear the conflict, she could still  _ feel _ it, that  _ crazy _ magic power. 

It sent tingles down her spine, and she wanted nothing more than to control a power like that one day. 

And then she did. She  _ was _ that powerful.  _ More _ powerful, actually. She was better than Erza Scarlet or any mage that she commanded, and Minerva didn’t even need a blade. 

But now… 

She had to bite back a hiss as she watched Natsu Dragneel fight against her guildmates like it was  _ nothing.  _ She didn’t doubt that she was stronger, but she wouldn’t deny the power she felt from him, and something told her he wasn’t  _ truly _ showing them what he was capable of. 

He was  _ playing _ with Sabertooth, toying with them, until he got what he wanted. 

He didn’t care that Yukino had been banished. Why the fuck would he? Minerva doubted that anyone other than Yukino herself cared. No, Natsu was here for his brothers, and he wasn’t going to get serious until he got what he wanted. 

The thing was… as much as Minerva wanted to know for sure that Sting and Rogue weren’t going to go soft for their siblings, she didn’t want this to happen now. She wanted to crush Fairy Tail’s spirits in front of an audience, and she wanted a hand in it herself. 

So when she sensed a presence just outside the guildhall, very similar to Rogue and Sting’s stupid cats, she smirked. 

It took barely any power at all to summon the little blue cat to herself. 

* * *

Sting prowled around the conflict, waiting for his idiot guildmates to get out of the way so he could deal with Natsu himself. 

He was a little disappointed with his guildmates’ performances. 

_ (Not _ impressed by Natsu’s,  _ never _ impressed by Natsu’s). 

His brother tore through them like they were nothing. Some were lit ablaze before they even managed to get close, panicking as they tried to suffocate the fire burning on their clothes. Those that closed in were met by his fists and claws. A few members aimed long range attacks at him, and he didn’t even bother dodging. He just used his wings as shields, and  _ nothing _ other than slayer magic was going to make it through a dragon’s scales. 

Sting spared a glance towards Rogue, wondering why he didn’t seem interested in the conflict. He just watched the chaos unfold, cool eyes narrowed, like he couldn’t even be bothered to participate. 

Sting scoffed and turned his attention back towards Natsu, who had pinned one of the higher ranking members. He shoved her face into the floor, his claws digging into her cheek. “Come on, Sting,” he said as he raised his head to glare at him. Fire blazed in his inhuman eyes. “You really gonna hide behind everyone?” He breathed out a mouthful of smoke. “Pathetic.” 

Sting snarled, leaping towards him, power building for an attack.

Minerva appeared in between them with her territory magic, and shoved Sting back. “I’d rather you not destroy the guildhall,” she said. 

Sting hissed, but backed off a step. Minerva was one person not even  _ he _ wanted to cross. 

However, Natsu… 

“Get the hell out of my way!” he snapped as he stood back up, leaving the wizard he’d pinned to scramble away. 

“Oh?” Minerva smirked and held her hand out. A blue cat appeared, being dangled by the scruff of his neck. “What about this useless thing?” 

“Natsu!” the cat gasped as he squirmed, trying to twist around and swipe at Minerva, a truly feeble effort. 

“Let him go!” Natsu snarled, but the fire covering his body began to fade. 

As soon as he realized that Minerva had no intention of letting him fight Natsu, Sting scoffed and went back to Rogue. “I can’t believe she got in the middle of that,” he muttered. 

Rogue sighed. “Probably for the best. But don’t make her angry, Sting.” 

He huffed. “Wasn’t planning on it.” Though he  _ was _ pissed at her for stopping them before they could hit each other even  _ once. _

Minerva shook the cat, chuckling as he let out a distressed yowl. “Get out, and you can have him. I’m all for fighting against Fairy Tail, but I want the rest of them, not just their hot headed reptile.” 

For a second, Sting thought Natsu was going to attack her anyway, but then his stance relaxed. “Fine,” he hissed. 

Minerva tossed the cat to the floor, and he bounded over to Natsu, climbed up his body, and clung to his shoulder. “I’m sorry…” he said. “I don’t know how… she just had me!” 

Natsu scratched his ears and gave him a reassuring smile. “Not your fault, buddy. Let’s get back to everyone else, okay?” 

The cat’s fur began to lie flat again. “Aye, sir.” 

Natsu’s easy expression twisted back into a snarl as he glared at Minerva once more, then he stalked out of the guildhall, not even sparing Sting and Rogue another glance. 

Despite not getting what he wanted, it sure as hell didn’t look like a retreat. 

* * *

“You didn’t immediately attack,” Minerva said. 

Rogue scoffed, not at all surprised to find Minerva waiting for him in his room. “What was the point? I expected you to get involved. And even if you didn’t, everyone else was in the way.” 

“Sting attacked,” she pointed out. 

Rogue frowned. He knew why Minerva was here, to exercise her control, make sure they were more loyal to her than their family, so why not just come out and say it? She knew Rogue wasn’t going to play games with her. When had he ever? “Sting often lets his emotions get the better of him.” 

“Hm.” With fluid grace, she rose out of the chair she was sprawled over. “And you don’t?” Her gaze drifted towards Frosch, nestled in his arms, and being  _ very _ quiet and still. 

“No.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say,  _ shadow dragon.” _ She bared her teeth. “I know you would never let your relationship with the Fairy Tail wizards affect your performance, but I think we both know the same can’t be said for Sting.” 

His frown deepened. “What do you mean?” Sting was more eager to fight them than Rogue was, that was for sure. 

“You’re indifferent,” she said as she prowled closer. “You don’t necessarily care if you fight them or not, at least, I don’t think so. You’ll fight them if you have to, but you don’t  _ want _ to. Sting is going out of his way to prove that he hates them, don’t you think?” 

Rogue hadn’t thought about it that way. Was that why his brother was so obsessed with defeating Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy? Was he desperately trying to prove that he was more loyal to Sabertooth than to them? “It’s possible,” he admitted. 

Minerva offered him a smooth smile as she stalked passed him and headed out into the hall. “Do make sure he doesn’t do something stupid. I’d hate to have to lose another member over something so trivial.” 

Rogue closed the door and let out a breath. Why must she be so intense? “She’s not wrong, though.” 

“I think so, too!” Frosch said, feeling comfortable enough to speak now that Minerva was gone. 

Rogue smiled and set the cat down on the bed. 

* * *

“You did  _ what!?” _ Erza demanded.

Natsu winced. Maybe he had exaggerated how much he didn't care about Erza finding out. Just a little bit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Erza's pandemonium challenge! It's one of my all time favorite scenes in the anime, and I hope I do it justice and that you all enjoy it! 
> 
> Also, I'm thinking about doing some fics for fem slash February, because I crave that wlw content (as you can probably tell by this point). I'm also a multi-shipper (again, as you can probably tell), so if I do, expect a lot of different ships if you decide to check out those one shots! I've got some ideas for Fairy Tail, BnHA, Adventure Time, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, and possibly a couple other fandoms


	16. Our Scarlet Faerie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza challenges a hundred monsters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter? Erza being epic and everyone being in absolute awe. 
> 
> I relate

His memories were unclear, clouded. Though that had been the case ever since Tenrou. 

Mest had no idea how to piece together what was real, what wasn’t, who he even  _ was. _ He wondered if he ever would. Actually, he wasn’t even sure  _ Mest _ was his real name. Not when the name Doranbolt was right there, just as persistent. 

But what he did know, was that he shouldn’t have left Fairy Tail alone out on that island. 

So after he heard they were participating in the Grand Magic Games, all their most powerful wizards having returned, he knew he needed to see it. He would never believe that they were actually alive all this time if he didn’t seem them up and fighting himself. 

* * *

“God above, Natsu,” Erza sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “God  _ above.” _

“Hey! You already yelled at me once!” the dragon slayer exclaimed. “Not to mention Gajeel and Wendy chewed me out, too.” He fell back into the bed to lean against Gray. 

“She’s got a point, man,” he said. “That could have turned ugly real fast. It was stupid to go alone.” Gray couldn’t say he was…  _ shocked,  _ exactly, he just hadn’t thought Natsu would be so dumb about attacking his brothers. “And is that why you’re sleeping in here with us?” 

Natsu whined. “I can’t believe they kicked me out!” 

Gray chuckled and ran his fingers through Natsu’s hair. “Think you kinda deserve it. At the least, you could have  _ told _ them what you were about to do.” 

Erza leaned against the wall, and tapped her fingers against her upper arms. “Be honest, was it going to get bad?” 

Natsu scoffed and jerked up. “I was gonna win! Only reason I backed down was ‘cause that bitch got Happy!” 

“Is he okay?” Gray asked. 

He nodded. “Yeah, he’s fine. He’s with Charle right now.” 

Erza sighed. “Well, whatever. There’s not anything to do about it now. Let’s just go to bed. We’ve still got events in the morning, and it’s already too late.” 

Gray grumbled as Natsu maneuvered around to get in a more comfortable position on the bed. “You better not hit me with those wings in the middle of the night,” he warned. 

“Yeah, yeah.” 

* * *

“Do you think they would have killed each other?” Wendy asked. 

Gajeel couldn’t help but scoff. “No. Mighta broken a few bones, sent each other to a healer. Not kill each other.” 

“Mmm.” She snuggled further into the blankets. “How much you want to bet he’s whining to Miss Erza and Mister Gray right now about how we were going to make him sleep on the floor?” 

He snickered. “That’s absolutely what he’s doing.” 

Wendy was silent for a moment, and Gajeel thought she might have fallen asleep, but then she said, “Hey, Gajeel?” 

“Whatcha need, brat?” he asked. 

_ “Will _ Sting and Rogue end up trying to kill us?” she asked. 

Gajeel let out a breath. There was no point in lying to her, making her feel better over a shitty situation that wasn’t just going to resolve itself. “I don’t know.” 

She sighed, before rolling over and drifting off. 

* * *

“I’m competing today.” 

It seemed her team had the brains not to protest. They were back in the running, thanks to the victories in the battles the previous day, and they couldn’t let themselves fall behind again. She didn’t want to risk slayers competing again in the first rounds. It was too risky when they didn’t know exactly what the events entailed. And though Gray was determined to prove himself after the disastrous first round, he must have realized Erza wasn’t going to let anyone talk her out of this. 

“Good luck, Miss Erza,” Wendy said. 

Natsu grinned. “Kick their asses.” 

She smirked. She was going to take first in this event, even if it killed her. 

* * *

Juvia stared with wide eyes as the menacing palace appeared above the arena, then as the hulking, writhing monsters crawled into view on the lacrima screens. 

Freed winced. “Perhaps Cana was not a good choice for this event.” 

Laxus sighed. “Not like we can do anything about it, now, though.”

Twinges of anticipation and excitement pinged through Juvia, and she glanced over to the balcony that Erza’s team watched from. Gray and Natsu leaned over the edge, screaming cheers and encouragements as Erza walked onto the field. It seemed Gray was rather excited about getting to see his friend fight in such an environment. 

And he wasn’t the only one. “You’ve got this, babe!” Mirajane shouted. 

As the competitors drew lots, Juvia turned her attention back to the palace. It would be a difficult place to fight in, with its dim lighting, cramped spaces, and few places for cover. She didn’t doubt that Erza would perform brilliantly, but she doubted it would be an easy victory. 

Erza stepped towards the palace, head raised proudly. “I challenge one hundred monsters.” 

The arena went wild. 

* * *

The referee tried to convince her not to challenge so many monsters, while Cana whined about how Erza just  _ had _ to steal all the attention with a stunt that wild. 

But she’d made up her mind. Sure, even if she challenged fifty of the beasts, that would still guarantee her victory, but this was her opportunity to demonstrate her true power.  _ Fairy Tail’s  _ true power. Perhaps it was a  selfish, cocky decision, but moral was still low despite yesterday’s wins. 

So she repeated her decision. “I will challenge all one hundred monsters.” And without waiting for a reply, she walked up the ramp. 

* * *

Mavis hummed and swung her feet as she watched Erza Scarlet march into the palace, not a shred of doubt or worry in her expression, just smug confidence. 

Normally, that would worry Mavis. Over confidence often led to mistakes, slip ups. But she knew that Erza could handle this. 

She still hadn’t used the full extent of her power. Mavis wasn’t even sure what that would  _ look _ like. It was entirely possible that Erza Scarlet had the ability to shatter reality itself, if she accessed all of her power at once. After all, she had her own magic, the power granted to her by Mavis’s patron, and now she had unlocked her Second Origin. 

It almost made Mavis shudder. She truly was Titania reborn. 

And though she knew Erza would not, could not, access that power during this event, Mavis knew the power and ability she would display would be exquisite. 

She couldn’t wait to witness it. 

* * *

The monsters surrounded Erza as soon as she stepped into the palace, not that she had expected anything else. Her ears twitched as she took in their positions, listening for their talons and tails and scales scraping against the stone. They didn’t have heartbeats, nor did they breathe, but they were still far from silent. 

It would take up a large portion of her power, especially considering she did not plan to unleash her Second Origin just yet, but it would be helpful if she could gauge their exact abilities, how strong their defenses were, how capable they were of dodging, if they had a type of intelligence, or were just hunks of dumb magic. 

She summoned a whirlwind of blades, launching them in all directions. 

The monsters shrieked as the weapons met their marks. It didn’t kill very many of them, not that she had expected the attack to do such a thing, but it gave her a good idea of how much force must be used against them. 

She requipped into a different armor set, and got to work. 

The lower tiered monsters she cut through like paper. Blood and liquid magic exploded from the beast she slashed through, coating her in bright scarlet and shining gold. 

Claws sliced through the air, just a centimeter from her face as Erza rolled, jabbing her lance into the monster’s gut as she dodged the strike. 

More blood rained down upon her. 

She cut, and slashed, and tore, and stabbed. Beasts fell to her blades left and right, their corpses shimmering away, but always leaving that blood to stain her. 

That liquid. That hot, bright liquid. 

Gorgeous, gorgeous  _ scarlet.  _

* * *

Lucy swallowed thickly as she watched Erza  _ gut _ any creature that dared to get in her way. 

Despite how long she’d been in Fairy Tail now, she still hadn’t seen the wizard in a serious battle before. 

She began to understand why everyone was so terrified of her. 

Rotating through set of armor after set of armor, she crushed the monsters. 

Erza was a force of destruction, and not a single beast could stand against her. 

* * *

_ “Hey, Levy, why is everyone so freaked out by Erza?” Lucy asked. “I mean, I’ve seen the way Natsu and Gray listen to her, and they don’t seem like they would answer to  _ anyone.” __

_ Levy laughed. “Oh, well, you know, they respect her, so they listen. If they didn’t respect her, they wouldn’t, no matter how powerful she is.”  _

_ Lucy shook her head as she tapped her fingers against the bar. “No, that’s not what I meant. I mean, people are literally  _ scared _ of her. I mean, yeah, I guess she’s kind of intimidating, but I don’t think I could ever be scared of her. She just seems too… I don’t know… just not terrifying.”  _

_ Levy hummed. “Well, I guess you’ve never seen Erza Scarlet covered in blood, then.”  _

* * *

The monster batted her down the hallway, but she twisted in midair, jumping off the wall and requipping in midair, using her momentum to cut the beast clean in half. She slung the innards and gore from her blade as she landed. 

She was dimly aware of the announcers and crowds raving as she cut through the seventy-fifth foe, but she tuned them out, focusing her senses on the remaining beasts. 

Her magic was beginning to run out, and though she  _ could _ decide to access the Second Origin, she wouldn’t do that now. Not against these mindless creatures. They didn’t  _ deserve _ that power. 

She leaned against her sword for a moment, trying to get her breath back before the next monster attacked.  _ Twenty-five more, _ she told herself. She was three fourths of the way there. Although, the ones remaining were high tiers, not to mention the S-Class beast. 

She wrung the blood out of her hair, and continued further into the palace. 

* * *

“Scarlet’s a fucking  _ beast,” _ Gajeel said. “Damn, I knew she was good, but _fuck_ _.” _

Natsu cheered as his best friend cut through another monster, before changing into another set of armor. 

The armor was always clean, not a single stain on it after she requipped, but blood still soaked her skin and hair, clashing with her blue markings, but blending perfectly with her scarlet hair. 

Natsu didn’t think he would ever meet a warrior as strong or as powerful as Erza in his entire life. 

“Let’s go, Erza!” he shouted. “Shred them!” 

Erza cut through another foe. 

* * *

She bounded across the chains connecting the spires of the palace, and sliced through the final A-Class monster. 

Leaving her with just one left. The S-Class monster. 

Landing in a delicate pose, she summoned another sword as her gaze locked onto the little creature she had noticed tailing her through the palace since the start of the event. Though the stench of blood smothered out nearly everything, she could still smell the intense magic flowing from the being. “Just as I thought,” she said. “You are the S-Class beast.” 

The monster blinked lazily, like it couldn’t be bothered with her. 

Erza bared her teeth, and called on her new abilities. Golden light wreathed her blades. She hadn’t used this magic since Tenrou, not wanting to accidentally hurt one of her guildmates by training with it, but why not use it now? She needed to learn how to control it better, and her goal was to kill this beast, so obviously it wouldn’t matter if she completely obliterated it. 

The monster’s body began to expand and twist, moulding into something completely different. Something  _ massive.  _

Her snarl twisted into a feral smile. Giving her a bigger target? Foolish, but it was to be expected of dumb creatures like this. 

With a fearsome battle cry, she leaped forward, the golden magic around her sword blazing ever brighter. 

The monster bounded out of the way, shifting to swipe at her as she flew past, batting her into one of the spires. 

Erza cried out, but managed to dig her blades into the spire before she fell. 

The monster pounced, skittering across the chains, maw agape and spittle flying as it charged her. 

Her eyes widened. She hadn’t expected a creature that big to be so quick and nimble. She braced herself against the spire as the creature fell upon her. 

She shoved one blade against its gaping maw, just barely stopping its jaws from clamping around her, and used the other sword to block the massive foot that came crashing down. Her arms shook beneath the great pressure, but if she let up even a little, she was finished. 

She stared up into the monster’s dead, lifeless eyes. She may not have been able to move her blades, but she had something other than just her requip magic now. 

“You got too close,” she said. 

Of course, the monster could not understand her, so it merely snarled, and shoved harder against her swords. Sparks flew as they slid against its diamond hard skin.

Magic pulsed as she forced that golden light to flare, using the blade shoved into the beast’s mouth as a conductor for the power, her magic ran rampant. 

Golden light shot from the blade, tearing into the monster above her, ripping into it, and it  _ exploded, _ an ungodly screech echoing as hunks of flesh and skies of blood and gore rained down upon her, before dissolving into bright magic. 

The crowd went wild. 

Erza smiled, before forcing herself up. She raised her sword into the air, ignoring the blood that dripped from the weapon and onto her hand. 

_ I won.  _ This _ is our power.  _

* * *

Levy cheered as the palace disappeared, depositing Erza back into the arena, sword still raised, and still dripping with blood. 

A hundred monsters. She’d just defeated a  _ hundred _ monsters. 

Mavis giggled. “Look at her go. Look at our magnificent Erza Scarlet. A Faerie if ever there was one.” 

Levy’s cheer died in her throat, her gaze snapping towards the First Master. “What did you just say?” she demanded. 

Mavis gave her a sly smile. “A Faerie.” She sighed dreamily. “It’s been so long since one has been created. And to think she belongs to us.” 

An odd feeling exploded in Levy’s chest. A  _ Faerie. _ Of course, she was the first one to make the connection, but she still didn’t believe that was actually what Erza was, even after discussing the strange voice she claimed to have heard when her powers awakened and when she transformed, but she had never expected it to actually be  _ true. _

If Faeries were real, what else was? Did that mean that magic was  _ alive, _ was an actual entity? Were the gods real? Was Titania? 

Mavis stood up on the ledge. “She’s ours. Our scarlet Faerie.” 

And she began to cheer. 

* * *

It took everything in Mirajane not to leap down into the arena and kiss her girlfriend. Her insane, powerful, gorgeous,  _ amazing _ girlfriend. 

Soaked in blood, and still brandishing a weapon, basking in the cheers of the crowd, Mirajane didn’t think she’d ever seen a more attractive sight. 

Her voice joined the chanting and the cheering, praising Erza Scarlet for the warrior she was. 

* * *

Tracing the magic that had been used to attack Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle was no easy task. It took Meredy a couple days to actually trace it back to a source, which was really saying something. Sensing magic was one of her specialties. Not only did this magic fascinate and concern her, it  _ infuriated  _ her. 

_ But, _ she finally managed to trace it. What concerned her, was that it led her into the arena. Not only was that a dangerous place for her to be, the  _ most _ dangerous place she could be, but did that mean that they were already targeting Fairy Tail again?  _ During  _ the games? 

Or did that mean that one of the rival guilds was responsible for the attack? Were they desperate enough to win that they would target a  _ little girl,  _ and a member that wasn’t even competing? She hissed just entertaining the thought. That was despicable. 

She slipped through the hallways, the magic growing stronger all the while. Her eyes flicked over the different balconies. She passed by Sabertooth (her number one suspects, if she was being honest. All the snooping around gave her front row seats to their rivalry with Fairy Tail), and then Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, before the magic trail halted, stopping just outside of Raven Tail’s seats. 

Meredy frowned. Raven Tail? Why would they be targeting Fairy Tail? She sighed. It wasn’t like it mattered. Perhaps they were just that determined to win. But that didn’t seem right. If that was the case, why not go after Sabertooth? No, it had to be personal. No other reasoning made any sense, given the situation. 

She stepped back, pulling her hood further down as some spectators walked down the hall, chattering about Erza’s absolute victory. 

_ I wonder if Jellal watched her, _ Meredy wondered.  _ Doubt that will help his unfortunate little crush.  _

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on the issue at hand. Now that she was reasonably sure that Raven Tail were the ones behind the attack, she had to find some way to inform the magic council, as well as acquire some actual proof. They weren’t going to do anything if she came to them with nothing more than the intuition of a criminal. 

Well, except toss her into prison, that is. 

She gnawed at her lip. She would figure something out. 

* * *

Erza grinned as her team ran across the arena, calling for her and telling her what a good job she did. Well, except for Gajeel, who lagged a few paces behind them, but when she met his eyes, he grinned and gave her a thumbs up. 

“Miss Erza, are you hurt?” Wendy exclaimed as she began inspecting her. “How much of this is your blood?” 

“Oh, not a lot,” she assured her. “I’ll be fine.” 

Natsu and Gray pressed close to her. 

“That was fucking awesome!” Gray exclaimed. “You kicked some serious ass!” 

“Erz! Erz! Erz!” Natsu grabbed her shoulders, giving her one of the most intense looks she had ever seen. “That was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen in my entire goddamn life.” 

She chuckled and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Natsu. Honestly… I thought I could do it a little faster than what I managed.” 

“Y’er batshit insane, Scarlet,” Gajeel said as he shook his head. 

She shrugged. “Ah, well, one must always be aiming to become a better warrior.” 

* * *

Erza Scarlet was still a formidable force of nature, and it  _ enraged _ Minerva. How  _ dare _ Fairy Tail still be this powerful after all this time? How dare they have gotten even  _ more _ powerful? 

Was Natsu Dragneel this powerful as well? Minerva had suspected he was toying with them the night before, but had he really been hiding  _ this _ much power? 

She shoved away from the railing with a hiss. 

Fairy Tail was becoming far too bothersome, and they needed to learn their place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School is the worst yall do you know how awkward it is to introduce your lesbian steampunk scientist pirate elf character to your creative writing class? God! They seemed to like her but GOD 
> 
> Also I have an affinity for blood covered women with blades, can you tell?


	17. Fairy Glitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cana unleashes Fairy Glitter, Laxus fights against Raven Tail, and Ultear makes a discovery.

“Perhaps you should be taking this a little more seriously,” Erza scolded. 

Cana looked her up and down. The requip mage was still completely covered in blood and gore. “And perhaps you should go take a shower,” she retorted, before taking another swing from her drink. 

Erza sighed and shook her head, but didn’t say anything else. 

Cana wasn’t worried in the slightest about this event. She hadn’t been when she thought she was fighting monsters, and she sure as hell wasn’t now that it was only a contest to measure power levels. Except for the Sabertooth guy, and Lamia Scale’s saint wizard, the other competitors were  _ jokes.  _

And honestly, she wasn’t worried about Sabertooth or Lamia Scale either. Why should she be? 

“Just how are you going to go about this?” Erza asked. 

Cana waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. I know exactly what I’m doing.” 

The announcers praised Jura’s insanely high score, going on and on about how it was a new record. 

Cana scoffed. 

“And finally, Fairy Tail B’s, Cana Alberona!” the announcer shouted. 

She shoved her booze into Erza’s hands. “Hold onto that for me.” And she stepped towards the device. 

Her arm began to tingle as she called on Fairy Glitter’s power, the runes beginning to flare to life on her skin. 

She grinned as she removed her jacket, ready to completely shatter everyone else’s scores and blow her guildmates' minds. 

* * *

_ “Since you let me copy down the runes, I’ve been able to decipher them, to a certain degree,” Freed told her.  _

_ “Uh huh.” Cana leaned over his shoulder to look at the paper he had the runes and some rough translations scribbled on. “What do they mean?”  _

_ “Well,” he said. “There’s an incantation that goes with them, and saying it will likely make the spell even more powerful, like with any magic.” He pointed his pen at the incantation. “I think that’s what it is. Saying that when you use the magic might also help to reduce the toll it takes on your body and energy.”  _

_ She snatched the paper. “Thanks, Freed!”  _

_ He grabbed her wrist before she could walk off. “Another thing, Cana. I think it’s an adaptive spell.”  _

_ She raised an eyebrow. “The fuck does that mean?”  _

_ “It changes, the more the wielder uses it, becomes more powerful, more suited to the wizard’s needs,” he explained.  _

_ She narrowed her eyes. “That seems like it would be a good thing.” So why did he say it like it might be a problem?  _

_ Freed sighed. “Just be wary, about how often you use it, Cana.” He pointed to her forearm. “This is where the runes stopped the first time you used it, correct?”  _

_ “Yeah, the hell’s that got to do with anything?” she asked.  _

_ He rolled his eyes. “Of course  _ you _ didn’t notice. Cana, the runes spread up, a little past your elbow the last time you used it.” He finally let go of her wrist. “I won’t know more until I can get access to some old books, maybe ask Levy what she might know, but I suspect that it becomes a little more powerful with each time you use it, but it compensates for that by taking over a larger portion of your body. I don’t know what that might do to you over time.”  _

_ “Huh…” She rubbed at her wrist. “So don’t just use it whenever the hell I want, is what you’re saying, right?”  _

_ He nodded. “At least, not until we have a little more information on what it actually does to the user.”  _

_ “Right,” she said. “Got it.”  _

* * *

The runes glowed bright gold, light leaking from the markings as they spread past her wrist and to her upper arm. Magic power converged on Cana, and she aimed the spell for the machine. “Gather, O river of light that’s guided by the fairies!” she shouted. 

Magic wrapped around her, powerful light pulled in from every heavenly body. “Shine! In order to perish the fangs of evil!” 

Power exploded from her closed fist, colliding with the device in a brilliant explosion of shining light and magic.  _ “Fairy Glitter!!”  _ she shouted, forcing every ounce of her power into the spell. 

The spell’s excess magic blazed through the arena and the stands, basking everyone in Fairy Tail’s extensive power. 

Cana smirked as the light and smoke cleared, revealing she’d maxed out the machine. She punched her fist into the air, letting the lingering power flow from her in ribbons of brilliant light. 

She received the same cheers as Erza, and her smirk changed into a genuine smile. 

She didn’t even notice that the runes didn’t completely fade away this time. 

* * *

“You gave  _ Cana _ access to a Grand Fairy Spell?” Makarov demanded. 

Mavis giggled, and swung her feet. “Well, you know, it was a bit of an emergency situation. Besides, you know how finicky Fairy Glitter can be. Actually, I’m surprised she mastered it as quickly as she did,  _ and _ that she had the ability to use it to its full potential in the first place.” 

Makarov shook his head, trying not to think about whatever the First Master could be scheming. 

Because she wasn’t giving Grand Fairy Spells to members of the guild all of a sudden for no reason. 

* * *

“Wh-What the hell was that?” Sting stammered. “What kind of fucking magic could do something like  _ that?” _

Rogue merely shook his head, eyes wide. 

First, Erza Scarlet had defeated every single one of those monsters like it was  _ nothing, _ and now this  _ Cana Alberona, _ had overtaken a saint wizard’s power, had such a powerful spell that it was  _ off the charts.  _

He swallowed thickly. Just what the hell else was this guild capable of? 

What were his  _ siblings _ capable of? 

* * *

“Kagura?” Beth asked. 

Kagura tuned out whatever question followed her name, too focused on the two Fairy Tail members down in the arena. 

There was something odd about that guild… though what it was, she couldn’t put her finger on. 

Of course, there was Erza Scarlet’s stellar performance, but that was to be expected. Any wizard who used blades in their magical technique had heard of Erza, she was practically a legend in the field. 

But there was also the odd way the dragon slayer had fought yesterday. The wild, nearly  _ feral _ way that he’d torn into his opponent. And now this woman’s insane magical power. 

What fueled their guild? Was it an intense need to win? Something along those lines? 

No, that wasn’t quite right. They were determined, that was for sure, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were pushing their bodies and magic past an unreasonable limit. 

Was it something to do with their magic? It  _ must _ be. 

But what was so different about it? 

* * *

Loke stared with wide eyes as Cana announced that no one could beat Fairy Tail. “Did you… Did you know she could do that?” he asked. 

“Uh…” Lucy shook her head. “I think she used a similar spell on Tenrou? But it was nowhere  _ near _ that powerful.” 

Loke frowned. As proud of Cana as he was, he still couldn’t help but wonder where she’d even learned a spell like that. It was  _ ancient  _ magic, so old it probably should have been completely forgotten by this point. “Eh,” he said as he shrugged. “She’s probably been practicing it but didn’t tell anyone because she wanted to shock everybody.” 

Lucy laughed. “Yeah, probably.” She leaned over the balcony. “Way to go, babe!” 

Loke joined in the cheers, trying to put the strange magic out of his mind. 

It’s not like it mattered where it came from. 

* * *

“Today is so awesome!” Natsu exclaimed. “We got to see Erza fight like that, then Cana used that kickass spell, and now Laxus is gonna fight!” 

“I thought you hated Laxus,” Gajeel said as he rested his arms on top of Natsu’s head. 

Natsu huffed, but didn’t shove him off. “Guess he’s alright, since he did that on Tenrou. ‘Sides, even if I did, it’s still gonna be epic to watch him fight!” 

Gajeel supposed he did have a point. Watching him fight against Hades had really been something else, and he imagined it’d be a lot more enjoyable to watch if they weren’t all on the brink of death. 

* * *

“Freed’s seeing him off,” Mirajane said as she rested her arms on the ledge next to Juvia. “If we win every event today?” She smiled wistfully. “We really are proving we deserve the top spot back.” 

Juvia hummed in agreement. “You think Laxus will win?” 

“Of course!” Mirajane exclaimed. Laxus was S-Class, not to mention a combat expert. She wasn’t sure even she could win a fight against him. Hell, the last time he had fought guildmates, it had taken Erza wearing him down, then both Gajeel and Natsu to end the fight in a draw. “You haven’t really seen him fight before, have you?” 

Juvia shook her head. “No, not really. I was knocked out pretty quickly during the capital battle, and obviously I wasn’t with you on Tenrou.” 

Mirajane nodded. “It’s really something.” 

Cana waltzed back onto the balcony. “Come on, did I kick some major ass, or what?” 

Mirajane laughed. “I do have to admit, that was pretty impressive. Did you see the judges' faces? Especially that council member’s! I think you might have broken his brain!” 

Her grin widened. “Fuck yeah!” 

Mirajane’s smile faded as she noticed the runes on Cana’s arm. They almost went up to her shoulder. Shouldn’t they have vanished completely by this point? They weren’t  _ very _ noticeable, just a few shades lighter than her normal skin tone. 

She sighed, deciding not to bring it up. Right now, things were actually going their way. They should enjoy it while they could. 

* * *

Laxus frowned as the arena darkened, and a strange, foreign magic blanketed the coliseum. 

The Raven Tail members snickered as they surrounded him, and he sighed, more irritated than anything else. “So this is the damn guild you put together, huh?” Last he heard, his father’s guild was a dark guild, but that seemed to be yet another thing that had changed in the past seven years. 

His father removed his helmet. “So you recognized it.” 

He scoffed. “Hardly.” The truth was, he would recognize his father’s scent anywhere, but he wasn’t going to tell the man that. “What are you doing here? You’ve never been concerned with public appearances before, so I doubt you want the title of strongest guild in Fiore.”

He shrugged. “Once I heard Fairy Tail was back, the  _ real _ Fairy Tail, I just couldn’t resist.” 

Laxus’s frown deepened, and lightning began to flicker over his body. Of course, nothing good could come of his father being here, but the fact that he’d used whatever this magic was to keep this conversation private, and involve his followers in the fight, meant that he  _ wanted  _ something. Something from Laxus. 

“Has Makarov told you of Fairy Tail’s secrets, yet?” he asked. 

* * *

Meredy jerked to a halt, and a tingle shot down her spine. 

It was that magic, the same magic she sensed lingering around Raven Tail. She turned on her heel and sprinted back down the hallway. Wasn’t there a fight between Raven Tail and Fairy Tail going on? Were they using this magic again? 

She shoved past anyone in the hallways, ignoring their exclamations of how rude she was or telling her to slow down. 

She skidded to a stop outside Raven Tail’s balcony, and shoved her way through the curtains. 

Not a single member of the guild turned around to look at her, and her eyes widened. 

_ Illusions.  _

She nearly laughed. “Oh, Raven Tail.” She held her hands out. “It’s your unlucky day.” 

* * *

“Something’s not right,” Freed said. 

Juvia winced as Laxus took another heavy hit. He tried to retaliate, but his attack was clumsy, too wild, and it arced through the arena, shocking pretty much everywhere except his opponent. 

“You’re right,” Mirajane said. “That’s not even how Laxus fights. And can you feel that?” She closed her eyes. “An odd magic is being used right now.” 

Juvia threw her own senses out, feeling for different magic being used. She thought she might have felt Laxus’s, but it was muffled, and she wasn’t used to his magic, so she couldn’t be sure, but Mirajane was right. There was a thick, smothering power, spread over the whole arena. 

Mirajane gasped. “It’s stamping magic out! Do you think it’s the same thing that attacked Lisanna, Wendy, and Charle?” 

Juvia stiffened and shoved away from the balcony. “Raven Tail have been the ones targeting us?” 

Cana’s eyes flicked over the arena. “You’re right. Something sure as hell isn’t right, here.” She began to climb over the railing. “I’m going down there!” 

Freed grabbed her. “We can’t do anything without proof.” 

She hissed, but let him heave her back onto the balcony. 

Juvia turned her attention back towards the fight. There was nothing they could do to help Laxus in this fight, not if they couldn’t pin down exactly where this strange magic came from and who exactly was responsible for it. 

He was on his own. 

* * *

The woman screeched as Laxus threw her across the arena, but she was back on her feet in a second, wild hair already expanding again. “Fuck.” He whirled around as another member tried to attack him from behind, sending a bolt of lightning towards the man. “I fucking told you!” he shouted over his shoulder towards his father. “I’ve got no damn idea what you’re talking about!” 

“Come on, Laxus!” his father exclaimed as he side stepped a spare bolt of lightning. “You’ve got to know that guild is hiding things from you! What about the Lumen Histoire?” 

Laxus snarled.  _ Of course _ he knew the guild had its secrets, that was never up for debate. But the thing was… he didn’t really  _ care. _ Why should he? It’s not like it affected him, or the guild’s ability function. “You think I give a damn!? Even if I knew or cared about any of the shit you’re saying, I wouldn’t tell you a fucking thing about the guild!” 

He was done indulging his father, content that he knew what the man actually wanted now. 

He called on the full force of his magic, and let his lightning rage through the arena. 

* * *

Illusion magic was very easy to cancel out. It was just a link. A link to the magic user’s mind. 

And links were Meredy’s specialty. 

The hair on the back of Meredy’s neck stood on end, as if an electrical storm was brewing. 

She called on her magic, and broke that link, and it was  _ astonishingly _ easy. 

Stunned silence echoed around the arena as the false Raven Tail mages faded away. Meredy dared to creep towards the edge of the balcony, really hoping no council members were looking her way, but she wanted to see what had been going on in the arena. 

Laxus Dreyar stood in the center of the arena, surrounded by the unconscious, still sparking, Raven Tail mages. 

Meredy stifled a laugh, and melted back into the shadows of the hallway, hood pulled low. Raven Tail wasn’t going to be bothering anyone else anytime soon. 

“You’re welcome, Fairy Tail!” she exclaimed as she skipped down the hallway, deciding to try and find Jellal or Ultear again. 

* * *

Mavis did her best not to let her worry show as it was announced that Raven Tail would be disqualified. 

Illusion magic was her speciality, so of course she’d been able to sense the trickery going on around the arena. She couldn’t perfectly see or hear through it, but she’d caught pieces. 

Particularly, the words  _ Lumen Histoire.  _

Why did Raven Tail even  _ know _ those words? Did they know exactly what the Lumen Histoire was? They couldn’t, right? Only Fairy Tail guildmasters knew of such a thing. 

So how did they know? 

And more importantly, who else did? 

* * *

“I fucking hate illusion magic,” Gajeel said. 

Gray hummed in agreement. 

Their entire team had sensed something was amiss in the arena, with their heightened senses, not to mention Erza and Gray’s affinity for sensing magic, but they hadn’t quite been able to tell what, so when the illusion shattered, it all made sense. 

“You think they might be the ones behind the attack on Wendy, Lisanna, and Charle?” Gray asked. 

“What?” Natsu demanded. 

Gray shrugged. “Obviously they have it out for us. Is it really that far of a stretch?” 

Wendy hummed and held her index finger to her chin. “Now that you mention it, it does feel kind of similar to just before Lisanna, Charle, and I were attacked.” 

Natsu groaned. “Dammit, Laxus! I wanted to be the one to beat their faces in!” 

“Natsu…” Erza shook her head and sighed. 

* * *

Most of the council was out for the day. Between the games, and that one member that was commentating for the day, their headquarters in the capital were practically empty. 

Save for Ultear rifling through their documents. 

It wasn’t hard to slip past their wards undetected, and the spells safeguarding their information were laughable. 

Honestly, how could the council make fun of guilds for being incompetent? Ultear could almost guarantee that she would have had a more difficult time breaking into a guildhall than she had here. 

_ The Lockser case. _

Ultear frowned, and pulled the file out of the drawer. It was an awfully thick file for one murder, that had honestly been pretty cut and dry. 

She sat down at the desk, and flipped open the file. “Let’s see what you sleezy bastards are hiding.” 

It took her about half an hour to read through the entire thing, but by the end of it, Ultear was shaking. “No way,” she whispered. “There’s  _ no way.” _

She had to warn Juvia and Gray, as quickly as possible. 

She clutched the file to her chest, and sprinted out of the office. 

* * *

He didn’t sense it at first. What, with all the insane powers swirling around the capital due to the Games. Erza’s strange new power, that unbelievable spell Cana had used, the illusion magic that had been used during Laxus’s match, not to mention all the other competitors’ magic. 

But as soon as he realized what it was, Jellal stiffened, and sprinted out of the stands, angering the people he’d been sitting next to by stepping on their toes in his haste. 

The magic power had made its first appearance for the year. 

Zeref was here. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting really close to some really fun stuff and I'm super excited
> 
> For instance, three more chapters until Gajeel and Natsu vs Sting and Rogue


	18. Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chelia and Wendy fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well gang.... I did something I swore I would never do. 
> 
> I started watching Naruto. So that's where we're at at this point in my life..... 
> 
> Then again, I used to swear I'd never watch anime, and then I used to swear I would never watch Fairy Tail, and yet, here we are

Wendy took a deep breath as the announcer called her name. Her hands began to shake, but she clenched her fists, forcing the tremors away. Erza had picked her for this team, these Games. And she had agreed to this, even after hearing about how difficult the fights and events were. She could do this, and she wouldn’t let nerves and jitters hurt her performance. 

It wasn’t a life or death fight, she had to remember that. No one was trying to  _ kill _ her. Even  _ if _ most of the other competitors were a lot bigger than her, and super powerful, not to mention older. 

She swallowed.  _ Oh no, what if I have to fight someone like that saint wizard? Or the woman with the sword, from Mermaid Heel? There’s also Mister Gray’s brother. _ She squeaked.  _ Oh god, Sting or Rogue!?  _

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, and she jumped. “Quit yer fidgeting. Y’er gonna do just fine, brat,” Gajeel said. 

She looked up at him. “Yeah, yeah. I’m gonna win. I can win!” 

“Damn right!” Natsu said, before rubbing the top of her head. 

“Natsu!” she whined. “You’re messing my hair up!” She tugged on her pigtail, pulling it tight once again. 

He laughed. “Just cut it off. Makes fightin’ easier.” 

Gajeel snorted. “If you’re that good, it don’t matter. Mine’s longer than hers.” 

Wendy nodded. “He’s right, Natsu. Miss Erza and Miss Mirajane have long hair and are S-Class,” she pointed out. “Besides,  _ you _ used to have long hair, too.” 

“Whatever.” He nudged her towards the end of the hallway. “Better get out there. Show ‘em what you’ve got!” 

She put on her bravest smile. “Right!” She ran down the tunnel, and out into the arena. 

The crowd cheered, but it wasn’t as passionate as it had been for Erza and Cana, not that Wendy expected it to be. She was lucky they cheered for her at all, considering how young she was. They only did because she was piggy backing on Erza and Cana’s performances, but that’s what she had been doing her whole life, wasn’t it? People only knew who she was at all because she was  _ Natsu Dragneel’s little sister.  _ It never bothered her. Why should it? She was just a little kid, after all, and had only been going on job requests for about two years now. Of course people weren’t impressed by her yet. 

It was time to start changing that, though. Making her  _ own _ reputation, not just letting people assume she had power because of her siblings and their friends. 

Not only that, but the guild had won every event they’d participated in today. She couldn’t let them down by losing her match. 

“Another Fairy Tail dragon slayer, the youngest wizard with such a power, Wendy Marvell!” the announcer shouted. 

Wendy tried not to listen to all the crowd’s chatter, but she’d never had so many people watching her fight. It was hard to ignore. 

“She’s so little! How could someone as petite as her win a fight?” 

“What guild sends a little kid out to fight like this? That’s cruel! She’s gonna get crushed!” 

“Well, she  _ is _ a dragon slayer. And isn’t she related to those other dragon slayer brutes? She might be an absolute monster, you never know. You’ve seen what slayers can do.” 

She raised her fists. “I will win,” she whispered. “I’ll prove to them that I deserve to be here.” 

“And from Lamia Scale, another slayer, but not of dragons—” the announcer began. 

Wendy stiffened.  _ What?  _

“The god slayer, Chelia Blendy!” 

_ God slayer!?  _ Hadn’t Natsu said something about fighting a god slayer on Tenrou? What even  _ was _ a god slayer? Did that mean they had learned their magic from a  _ god? _

Wendy’s eyes widened as her opponent ran out of the tunnel and into the arena. “Sh-She’s my age!” she couldn’t help but exclaim. 

“Oh, hi!” Chelia waved as she bounded across the arena, before grabbing Wendy’s hands. “I hope we have a nice fight!” Her smile was so bright and genuine, that Wendy couldn’t help but smile as well, despite her confusion. “Good luck!” And with that, Chelia let go of her hands, and dashed back to the other side of the arena, settling into a fight stance. 

Wendy realized that maybe she would have  _ preferred _ an adult, specifically a big, mean looking adult. After all, that’s what she’d been fighting her whole life. This just felt weird! She didn’t want to hit this sweet girl! 

But she took a deep breath, before dragging her foot back to brace herself for the fight. 

It didn’t matter. She was still going to win. 

The announcer declared for the match to begin, and Wendy sprang forward. 

* * *

Mest jerked forward as someone elbowed him in the back of the head. “Hey, watch it—” he began, but the words died in his throat. 

A man shoved his way through the stands, a hood pulled low, concealing a good portion of his face, but Mest still recognized the sprigs of blue hair that poked out, and the red marking tailing down his cheek. 

_ Jellal?  _

As much as Mest wanted to watch Wendy’s match, he wasn’t just going to let Jellal out of his sight. What was he even  _ doing _ here? He’d not been seen at all since he vanished from Fairy Tail nearly six years ago, had he? Was he here  _ for _ Fairy Tail? Had he had contact with them, for some reason? 

More importantly, what had him sprinting through the stands like a madman? 

Mest followed him. 

* * *

Without hesitation, Wendy surged forward and drove her fist into Chelia’s jaw before she had the chance to even move, let alone attack or use magic. The girl’s head snapped to the side and she stumbled backwards, but she wasn’t winded for long. 

Chelia spun on her heel, twisting around to kick Wendy in the ribs, launching her backwards a few paces, leaving her to land in a crouch. 

She coughed, but the hit was nothing she couldn’t handle. She might have a bruise there, but that was it. 

“You really do fight like your brothers,” Chelia said as she straightened up, that brilliant smile never leaving her face. “That’s so cool!” 

Wendy narrowed her eyes. Chelia wasn’t  _ wrong, _ but she’d figured that out after a single punch? Was it  _ because _ of the punch? Should she have started with a magical attack, rather than a physical one? 

Chelia sighed. “My big sis never wanted me to learn hand to hand, always said it wasn’t very lady-like, you know? I had to learn from  _ Lyon.” _ She shook her head and turned her palms up, in a  _ what are you gonna do about it _ gesture. “Wendy, you’re so awesome!” 

Heat rushed across Wendy’s cheeks.  _ She thinks I’m awesome?  _

She shook her head. She wasn’t going to let herself get distracted by a tactic as simple as that one! She took in a deep breath. “Sky dragon roar!” 

Chelia laughed and leaped to the side. “Okay, okay. I guess it’s my own fault for trying to talk during a fight, isn’t it?” 

“Sky dragon wing attack!” 

Chelia was right. If she wasn’t going to take this seriously, Wendy was going to take advantage of it. Just because she thought the girl was sweet and cute, didn’t mean that she was going to go easy on her. 

The magic careened towards Chelia, but just as easily as she dodged the breath attack, she bounded out of the way.

Wendy grit her teeth. This was going to be a tough fight, she could tell. 

“My turn!” Chelia threw her hands out. “Sky god boreas!” 

Wendy’s eyes widened as she scrambled out of the way. Her dodge was nowhere near as fluid as Chelia’s, but she still managed to avoid the brunt of the attack. 

She’d never seen a magic so similar to her own! Though her brothers shared dragon slayer magic, theirs was very different than her own. Sky and air magic could be so strange, so powerful, not very many mages could use it, even if they  _ wanted  _ to. 

Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. Sky magic, perfect reflexes, that grace,  _ god slaying. _ How could Chelia think that  _ Wendy _ was awesome? Had she seen _herself?_

Wendy surged forward again, trying to get in close. She let her power build around her fist, like she was going for another wing attack, but she didn’t release it. 

Chelia squeaked and stumbled back, obviously not expecting Wendy to escape her attack and retaliate so quickly. 

This time, Wendy punched her in the chest, increasing the strength of the blow with her magical power. 

She heard a  _ crack! _ and both Wendy and Chelia yelped. Chelia in pain, Wendy in shock and horror. 

She hadn’t meant to hit her hard enough to break anything! Oh god, what if she’d seriously hurt her!?

Chelia fell backwards, clutching at her chest and squeezing her eyes shut, her smile vanishing for the first time since she’d stepped into the arena. Light built in her palm as she pressed it against her chest. “Damn, that was brutal. I guess you dragon slayers really are vicious.” And the smile was back. “This will be a fun fight! It’s been a long time since I was able to go all out!” 

Wendy narrowed her eyes and stepped back as she realized what Chelia was doing. Their magic really  _ was _ almost identical. She’d just  _ healed _ herself. Of course, Wendy couldn’t heal her own injuries, so that definitely gave Chelia an advantage, but she could still win this. 

She’d have to knock her out, or pin her, then she wouldn’t be able to heal herself. 

It would have to be done quickly, however, before Wendy ended up too injured to keep fighting. 

Chelia was already back on her feet, grinning like she hadn’t just had her ribcage all busted up. 

Wendy took a deep breath.  _ I can do this.  _

* * *

“This was a bad matchup,” Erza said quietly, not wanting Gajeel or Natsu to hear, although they were distracted enough that they probably weren’t paying any attention to Erza or Gray. They leaned over the edge of the balcony, cheering their sister on and applauding her every move. 

Gray nodded. “Yeah, their powers are so similar, they can’t rely on a technique to get the better of the other. It’s going to come down to pure power, who can outlast the other one.” 

Erza grimaced. “It doesn’t help that Lamia Scale’s girl has the ability to heal herself.” 

Gray shrugged. “Wendy can restore her stamina.” And if the way Chelia’s chest was heaving, that wasn’t an ability she had. 

Erza turned attention back to the match, just in time for Wendy and Chelia to aim breath attacks at each other, the magic meeting in the center of the arena, cancelling each other’s spell out, but leaving a wild wind to rage over the stands. 

Erza chuckled as Gray sputtered, squinting against the wind. 

Chelia raced forward, tackling Wendy to the ground, probably attempting to pin her, but it was a sloppy hold. She put her weight on Wendy’s legs, but wasn’t quick enough at grabbing her wrist, giving Wendy the perfect opportunity to punch her in the nose. Blood exploded from the young girl’s nose and she reeled backwards, crying out. 

Wendy shoved against her, and soon their positions were reversed, with Wendy pinning Chelia to the ground, only her hold on the other girl was a lot more secure. 

“Wendy’s better at physical combat,” Erza observed. “The other girl relies too heavily on her magic, especially her ability to heal herself. She’s taking unnecessary hits just because she can, even though she’s rather good at dodging.” 

Gray snorted. “They are twelve year olds, Erza. Maybe we shouldn’t be tearing apart their fighting techniques.” 

“Wendy is almost thirteen,” she pointed out. “And besides, if they’re here, they’re already doing dangerous things. These are things they need to realize.” 

Gray sighed and shook his head. “I guess that is true…” 

Erza raised an eyebrow. “What?” 

“Nothing. Just… think about what we were doing when  _ we _ were twelve,” he pointed out.

“Suffering?” 

He rolled his eyes. 

Erza laughed and slapped him on the back. “Let’s just enjoy watching these twelve year olds beat each other to hell. This is what all of us looked like to the guild, huh?” 

Gray winced as Chelia used her magic to launch Wendy into the air. She shrieked as she came crashing back down. “I like to think we were a little more elegant.” 

“You absolutely were  _ not,” _ Erza said. Gray was not an elegant fighter. Most of them weren’t. In all actuality, Wendy and Chelia were probably more elegant in combat now than any of them would ever be. 

They were vicious, there was no doubt about that, but they hid it beneath their smiles, small statures, and delicate air magic. 

It truly was an interesting fight. 

Erza wondered if maybe she should begin working with Wendy again, like she had when the girl was younger. 

She was already incredibly skilled, how much better might she become with some actual training? 

Erza smiled. 

* * *

Everything ached. 

Wendy had no idea how long this fight had drug on, but they had to be approaching the half hour time limit. 

Her magic power was beginning to run low, and she knew she was covered in bruises and scrapes from Chelia’s hits. 

Damn, this girl was good.  _ So _ good. 

Chelia summoned her magic for another attack. 

_ I’m sorry. _ Wendy hadn’t wanted to do this. She didn’t want to win this fight with such a dirty trick, but she  _ couldn’t _ lose this. She just couldn’t! 

She yanked the air away from Chelia. 

Or at least… she  _ thought _ she had. 

Chelia just smiled at her. “Oh, that’s a neat trick!” She twirled her finger, and a little whirlwind appeared. “I admit, I’ve never tried to steal someone’s air like that.” She shrugged, letting the whirlwind dissipate. “But it doesn’t work on me. I can control it, too, ya know?” 

“Fuck!” Wendy hadn’t even  _ thought _ about that. 

Chelia’s eyes widened. “Did you just swear!?” 

Wendy almost pointed out that Chelia had swore several times herself now, but she didn’t give her the chance. She threw another attack towards Wendy. 

She yelped and threw herself to the ground, just barely avoiding the intense power. But the attack was weaker than Chelia’s previous ones. Her power was running low, too. Not to mention her stamina, she was growing shaky and clumsy. 

Wendy forced herself up on aching legs. At least she wasn’t out of energy, even if she was about to collapse from her injuries. 

But if Chelia was weakening, this was her chance. Her chance to throw everything she had at the girl, in a last ditch effort to knock her out before the time limit ran out. 

She called on her magic, forcing every last bit of power she could summon to the surface, and silently thanked Ultear for her Second Origin, because without it, she absolutely would have collapsed already. 

Chelia realized what she was doing, and called on her own power. 

_ Here we go. _ Wendy took in a deep breath, ready to unleash the magic in the form of a breath attack, really hoping it was enough to not only cancel out Chelia’s attack, but actually land on the wizard in question. 

_ “Sky dragon r—” _

“Time’s up!” the announcer shouted. 

Wendy squeaked and forced the magic to dissipate, falling to her knees.  _ I… lost…  _

“Oh!” Chelia ran forward. “I’m so sorry! I hope I didn’t hurt you too bad! Here.” She settled onto her knees in front of Wendy. “Let me heal you up.” 

Wendy blinked, confused. “Huh?” 

Chelia ignored her, and set to work healing the worst of her wounds. 

“Well, if you’re going to do that, let me help you!” Wendy laid her hands on Chelia’s shoulders, replenishing her stamina and magic, not wanting her to pass out because she was that determined to be nice and not leave Wendy aching and hurting. 

Chelia laughed. “You’re awful nice, you know that, right?” 

“You’re one to talk! No one’s ever said such nice things to me when we fight!” Wendy exclaimed. “Usually they just call me a little bitch.” 

Chelia gasped, her eyes widening in horror. “That’s awful!” 

Wendy wondered if she should tell her all the horrible things she’d heard Natsu and everyone else scream at their opponents. Probably not. 

As Chelia healed her wounds, laughing and asking her about her magic and her techniques, Wendy found that she didn’t feel as sad as she had expected to feel if she lost. 

She felt a little upset, but nothing like what she might have expected. 

“Thanks, Chelia!” 

* * *

Jellal’s eyes locked on the black cloak that weaved through the crowd, and he  _ knew _ that was the person this twisted magic belonged to.  _ Zeref.  _

He shoved his way through the masses of people, was inches away from grabbing their shoulder, confronting the person responsible for  _ so much _ pain and misery. 

But someone shoved their way in between them. 

Jellal bit back a curse. “Get out of the way!” he snapped, not in the mood to deal with whatever this was. 

“Jellal Fernandes.” 

He froze, before stumbling back a pace, getting a better look at the woman who had stopped him. She was obviously hostile, tense, with one hand on the hilt of her sword, and he’d never  _ seen _ a pair of more intense eyes. Not even from Erza or Ultear. “Who are you?” he asked. 

Those golden eyes narrowed. “I am Kagura.” 

_ Kagura. _ She was the mage from Mermaid Heel who had completely destroyed Sabertooth’s celestial spirit wizard. But what could she possibly want with him? “How do you know who I am?” 

She sneered. “Count yourself lucky, Jellal.” Her fingers tapped the hilt of her sword. “I won’t start a fight where so many innocents could be collateral. Consider this your warning.” She held her blade out. “This blade will be the last thing you see.” 

And she shoved past him, melting back into the crowd. 

“What the hell?” he muttered. Who the hell  _ was _ that woman? How did she know who he was? Why did she want him  _ dead? _

Of course, he had no shortage of enemies, but he genuinely couldn’t think of a single reason why a member of Mermaid Heel would have it out for him. 

“Shit!” He whipped around, feeling out for Zeref once again. 

But he was gone, the strange magical feeling vanishing with him. 

* * *

“I’m sorry I lost,” Wendy muttered as she hugged her arms to her chest. 

“Lost?” Erza asked, incredulous. 

She nodded. “I didn’t win.” 

Gajeel scoffed. “Shut up, brat. It was a draw. Who knows. You mighta won.” 

She sighed. “I don’t know… she was really tough…” 

Natsu grabbed her and picked her up. “Yeah, but so were you!” he exclaimed. “You were awesome, Wendy!” 

She squealed. “Natsu, I’m too old for you to be picking up like this!” 

“Nope!” he said. “As long as I can still pick you up, I’m gonna.” His teasing smile turned genuine. “But seriously. You did great!” 

Erza nodded. “He’s correct, Wendy. That was a brilliant fight. I’m proud of you.” 

Her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Miss Erza!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wendy's got a crush! I can't wait for the hilariously awkward scene where she asks Gajeel and Natsu what to do about that lmao


	19. A Comeback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy asks Gajeel and Natsu about girls, Fairy Tail celebrates their comeback, and Erza and Mirajane have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Except for one scene with a lil bit of angst, this is basically all shameless fluff, but everyone deserves it so it's okay

Wendy adjusted the bandage on her upper arm. Chelia had healed most of her wounds, but she hadn’t let the girl heal all of them, not when she was so tired already. 

That, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do with the feeling of butterflies in her stomach when Chelia touched her. She’d been thinking about it ever since, really. 

“Hey Natsu,” she said, just before he left to go downstairs to the party. 

He barely slowed down, and was halfway out the door. “Hm?” 

“How do you know if you like a girl?” she asked. 

Across the room, Gajeel accidentally ripped a cabinet door off the hinges and whacked himself in the face with it, and Natsu collided with the door frame with a very undignified yelping noise, before they both whipped around to stare at her with wide eyes. 

“Wh-Why are you askin’ about that kind of thing?” Natsu asked he closed the door and came to sit next to her on the bed. A red mark marred his forehead from where he’d hit the door frame. 

“Uh…” Maybe she shouldn’t have asked them. Maybe she should have gone to Mirajane, or even Cana. They were good at this kind of thing, weren’t they? “I was just wondering…” 

Gajeel gave up on trying to reattach the cabinet door. “If the staff asks, it was like that when we got here,” he said. “And come on, brat. I know you ain’t just asking about this for no damn reason.” 

“Well…” Wendy began to fidget with her fingers, staring down at her lap as she felt a blush spread across her cheeks. “I… Just, how do you know?” They both liked girls. She was pretty sure Natsu liked Lisanna, and Gajeel liked Levy, even if neither one of them would admit it, so they had to know, didn’t they? They could tell Wendy if she actually  _ did  _ like Chelia, or if she was just being silly. 

“You said a girl, not a boy?” Gajeel asked, before walking over to sit next to her, leaving her pressed in between her two brothers, for what was  sure to be a _very_ awkward conversation. But then again, she  _ had _ brought this on herself. 

“Does that matter?” she asked. She knew that  _ most _ girls liked boys, or at least, that’s what she’d always heard, even if it didn’t make much sense to her. Why would you like a boy over a girl? Not to mention that Erza, Mirajane, Cana, and Lucy all liked girls. She was pretty sure Levy did, too, even though she’d never dated one. 

“Nah,” Gajeel said. “Some people likes girls, some people like boys, doesn’t fuckin’ matter either way. Just makin’ sure.” 

Wendy hummed. “You like both, don’t you?” 

“Yeah, sure do,” he answered. 

She turned to Natsu. “But you only like girls?” 

“Er…” Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know if I’d say  _ that. _ I uh…” He glanced at Gajeel. “I don’t like anyone?” 

Gajeel groaned and drug his hand down his face. 

“What?” Wendy leaned over. “But I thought you liked Lisanna!” You could just  _ not like _ people? Was that the real reason Natsu had never wanted to date anyone? 

Natsu’s cheeks turned bright red. “W-Well… It’s complicated.” He looked to Gajeel for help. 

Gajeel sighed. “Natsu doesn’t wanna bang anyone, but he still wants to date people. It’s called asexual.” 

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.” It certainly  _ explained _ some things about her brother, that was for sure. She nodded towards Gajeel. “And you’re bisexual, like Miss Erza and Mister Gray?” She thought she’d heard them call themselves that before. 

Gajeel nodded. “Yeah, that’s what it’s called.” 

“Am  _ I _ bisexual?” she asked. 

Gajeel snorted. “That’s for you to figure out, not me. But if y’er crushin’ on some girl, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say y’er sure as hell not straight.” 

“What girl?” Natsu asked. 

“Chelia,” she admitted. “She was very cute, and nice, don’t you think?” 

Gajeel laughed and ruffled her hair. “Shoulda known. You came out of that match with stars in yer eyes.” 

She ducked her head. “That obvious, huh?” She must be even worse at hiding her crushes than her brothers. 

“I didn’t know,” Natsu said. 

Gajeel waved him off. “You don’t count. You didn’t know you liked that Strauss girl ‘til I told ya.” 

Natsu growled, but didn’t deny it. 

“What are you supposed to do about it?” she asked. 

Gajeel and Natsu got quiet  _ really _ fast. 

“What?” Wendy asked. 

“Think you might be askin’ the wrong people about that,” Natsu said. “I’ve sure as hell never asked anyone out on a date, I don’t know how it even  _ works.”  _

Gajeel sighed and crossed his arms. “Yeah, I’m about the same.” 

Wendy gave them a teasing smile. “Is that why you’ve never asked Lisanna or Levy out?” 

Natsu’s blush was back, and he began trying to deny even  _ wanting  _ to ask Lisanna out, but Wendy told him it was much too late to start denying it. Gajeel just growled and said, “This is about you, brat, don’t go turnin’ it on us.” 

“Okay,” she relented. They  _ were _ trying to help her, so it probably wasn’t a good time to tease them. 

“Hey, maybe you should ask Erza,” Natsu suggested. 

“Why the hell would you go to Scarlet for relationship advice?” Gajeel demanded. 

Natsu shrugged. “Well, she’s been datin’ Mira for a long time now, so she’s gotta know what she’s doing. Besides, she’s a girl who likes girls, wouldn’t she be like… an expert on them?” 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, but didn’t try to argue. 

“Okay! I’ll ask Miss Erza about it!” Wendy decided. 

* * *

Makarov couldn’t be more proud of his guild. After suffering the humiliating defeats of the first day, then fighting and clawing on the second just to get themselves back in the running, to winning their events in overwhelming victories today. They’d fought as hard as they possibly could, pushed themselves to the absolute limit, all for the guild. 

He couldn’t even find it in himself to scold them as their partying began to get out of hand. This wasn’t the guildhall, he doubted this bar was anywhere near as sturdy as the place, but he let them have their fun. 

Though he admitted he grew a little concerned as soon as Cana announced drinking games. He pretended he didn’t know what went on at her apartment when she invited anyone over to drink, for his own sanity more than anything, but he knew what the brats got up to. 

“Hey, old man.” Laxus leaned against the bar next to him. 

“You did good today, Laxus,” Makarov said. He hadn’t had the chance to praise his grandson since the fight. He imagined it had to have been difficult for him to have to fight against his father like that. Makarov had given up on his son years ago, as he obviously wasn’t ever going to realize his mistakes, but he knew Laxus did still care for him, even if he wouldn’t admit it. 

Laxus grunted, before asking, “What’s the Lumen Histoire?” 

Makarov’s eyes widened. Was  _ that _ why his son had been here? How had he even learned of such a thing? “Did he ask you about that?” 

Laxus nodded. “Said something about the guild’s secrets, then asked about that. You don’t gotta tell me, I was just curious if he even knew what he was talkin’ about.” 

Makarov sighed. “Yes… it’s real. It—”

Mavis appeared in between them. “You can’t tell him!” she exclaimed. 

Makarov and Laxus jerked backwards, startled by the sudden appearance of the First Master, and the urgency in her voice. 

“Only guildmasters can know!” she continued. 

Laxus nodded. “Yeah, okay. Figured as much. Like I said, I wasn’t expectin’ you to tell me anyways.” He walked off to join Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen. 

Makarov bit back a groan. His relationship with Laxus was getting  _ better, _ even if it wasn’t  _ good _ by any means. 

“I’m sorry…” Mavis said. “But… you can’t. You just  _ can’t. _ It’s too important.” 

Makarov doubted he would ever completely understand the significance of the Lumen Histoire, but he nodded. “I know.” 

* * *

Erza grimaced as she undid the gauntlet on her wrist. 

“Not fair!” Natsu whined. “She’s got way more pieces than the rest of us to take off with that stupid armor!” 

Cana snickered. “Rules are rules, Natsu. We started playing with whatever you had on. Erza just happened to have more layers than most.” 

Levy had no idea how Cana had managed to talk her into playing strip poker with everyone, she’d must rather be over chatting quietly with Elfman, Freed, Evergreen, and Wendy, but the card mage hadn’t taken no for an answer, and pretty much everyone else was playing, so she hadn’t really had any excuses for not playing. 

Thankfully she was decent, so she’d only lost her shoes and a sock so far. The same couldn’t be said for a good chunk of everyone else playing, though. Gray was down to just his underwear, but Levy had the sneaking suspicion that he’d lost the first few rounds on purpose, just to have an excuse to ditch his clothes, as normally Erza and Natsu wouldn’t let him. Lucy and Natsu weren’t faring much better, but that was mostly because they weren’t good at the game. Lisanna and Loke were at that awkward point where they were going to have to start losing shirts or pants if they lost another hand. 

On the other hand, Juvia, Cana, and Gajeel had barely lost any clothing at all (a good thing for Cana, since she didn’t exactly have a lot to get rid of in the first place). Levy had a feeling that Cana might be cheating, but Juvia and Gajeel seemed genuinely good at the game, for some reason. 

Mirajane groaned as she lost the hand, before she kicked off her sandal. 

Honestly, Levy was surprised that the Master hadn’t scolded them for playing a game like this, considering they were  _ technically _ in a public bar, even if most of the other patrons had cleared out after they realized how rowdy Fairy Tail was bound to be. 

“This is so embarrassing,” Lisanna muttered next to her. “How do they not  _ care?” _

Levy chuckled as she drew a card. While this might not be something she normally would have done, she  _ was _ having a good time. Maybe it was because she was a little tipsy. “I don’t think they really care about a lot of things.” 

Everyone at the table cheered and wolf whistled as Juvia finally lost a hand, leading to her discarding her hat. 

Levy glanced down. She still had another sock to lose, and her headband, but after that, she was going to have to make some decisions… 

“This is bullshit!” Lucy exclaimed as she lost the next hand. But she sighed, and began to undo the clasp on her bra. 

Natsu yelped and hid his eyes, and Gray wasn’t too far behind. 

That was when the Master came over, finally deciding to shut down that particular game. 

“Aw, come on!” Cana whined. 

Lisanna let out a relieved breath, and Levy peered over to see her hand. She laughed. Lisanna almost definitely would have lost the next round with cards like that. 

* * *

“So much for meeting with Fairy Tail tonight,” Ultear complained. 

“Aw, come on,” Meredy said. “Let them have this. The past couple days have been rough on them. They need a little time to unwind.” 

She shook her head. “Not a good enough excuse. We should go in there anyways, party or no party.” 

Jellal scoffed. “Even if we did, it wouldn’t accomplish anything.” 

“What do you mean?” Ultear demanded. They  _ needed _ to talk to Fairy Tail. Never mind the sensitive information she needed to get to Gray and Juvia, they needed to discuss the power Jellal had felt today, ask if Fairy Tail had even  _ noticed _ it. 

“You’ve never seen them party,” Jellal said. “Trust me. Even  _ if _ you managed to pry one of them away from their fun, they’d probably be too drunk to focus. Hell, they might not even remember it in the morning.” 

Ultear rolled her eyes. That guild really was a disaster, wasn’t it? 

* * *

There had been a lot to wrap his head around today, but seeing Wendy fight like that was probably the hardest thing to come to grips with. 

Sting hadn’t seen his sister since she was four years old, just a little kid. It was hard to imagine that she’d grown up at all, let alone grown up enough to fight like she had. She’d gotten so  _ powerful _ over the years, and she’d definitely adopted a very vicious fighting style from their older brothers. 

(Not older. Sting was technically a little older than Natsu now, but that was hard to think about, so he didn’t bother). 

“Sting? What are you doing out here?” Lector bounded up onto the railing of the balcony. “It’s late.” 

Sting sighed. “Just thinking.” 

“About what?” the cat asked as he nudged at Sting’s hand. 

He smiled, before scratching at the cat’s ears. “My brothers and sister,” he admitted. 

“Oh.” Lector was quiet for a minute. “It must suck, doesn’t it?” 

Sting looked up at the sky. The stars were really bright tonight. He hadn’t really had a chance to go stargazing since he and Rogue joined Sabertooth. They used to do it all the time when they lived out in the woods, a habit from when they still lived with the dragons, when they still had a family. He missed it, if he was being honest with himself. “Yeah, just a bit.” 

Lector hummed, content to just let Sting scratch his ears and talk if he wanted to. 

And he did. He  _ did _ want to talk. Normally he told Rogue everything, but he wasn’t quite sure how to articulate all of his feelings to his brother. It would be easier with Lector, as the cat didn’t quite know everything about his past, wasn’t as close to the situation as Rogue was. “I don’t really remember a lot about them, if I’m bein’ honest,” he began. “I mean, I got bits and pieces. Like I know Natsu loves spicy food, Gajeel swears like there’s no tomorrow, Wendy’s favorite color is green. I guess all that stuff could have changed…. But I know we cared about each other.” He finally looked away from the stars, instead focusing on the empty street beneath the balcony. “You know, they were the first ones who really treated me like a boy instead of a girl. Didn’t really ask questions, or anything. They just did it ‘cause I asked ‘em to.” He didn’t fully understand why he liked being called  _ he _ and a boy so much more until he was older, but it was nice that his siblings and the dragons never tried to convince him he was something he wasn’t, like he vaguely remembered his biological parents doing before they died. 

“So why are you tryin’ to fight them?” Lector asked. “Sounds like you really care about them.” 

Sting bit back a groan. “I don’t know. ‘Cause I’m loyal to Sabertooth, I guess. And… And they’re  _ dragons _ now. That was one of the last things Weisslogia told me. ‘Dragons aren’t meant to exist anymore.’ And what kind of son would I be if I just ignored that, didn’t listen to the last thing he said?” He shook his head. “He made me a slayer to get rid of dragons like him, so I can’t just let them… They can’t just be allowed to  _ exist _ like that.” 

Lector laid his paw on Sting’s hand, doing his best to comfort him.

Sting choked back a sob. “But I don’t want to. I don’t want to hurt my family again.” 

* * *

“Hey, Mira,” Erza said as they walked back up to their room. “Can we… We need to talk.” 

“About what, dear?” she asked. 

Erza took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to put this off any longer than she already had. It wasn’t fair to Mirajane. “About Jellal.” 

Mirajane’s expression turned serious. “Of course. What about him?” 

Erza opened the door to their room, and settled down on the bed, doing her best not to fidget with the hem of her skirt. “You know… You know I care for you, right, Mira? I love you  _ so much. _ And I don’t want to do anything to hurt you, or lose you.” 

Worry settled in Mirajane’s gaze. “Erza, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” 

“I talked to Cana, and you know how she loves Lucy  _ and _ Loke?” she asked. 

It didn’t take long for it to click for Mirajane. She’d always been so good at these things, after all. “Oh.” 

Erza looked away, not sure if she could bear to see the hurt or betrayal on her girlfriend’s face. “I… I  _ do _ care for him,” she said. “Maybe even love him. But like I said, I don’t want to lose you, so if you don’t—”

“Erza, it’s okay,” Mirajane interrupted before settling down next to her. “Honestly, I’m not really surprised at all. It’s obvious you care about him.” 

Erza glanced up. “Huh?” 

Mirajane chuckled. “You’ve got such a big heart, it doesn’t surprise me that you love him, too. Actually… I almost suspected it.” 

Her eyes widened. “You did?” 

“Well…” She began to twirl her hair around her finger. “I’ve always had a knack for these things, and I do know you very well, Erz. The way you look at me, and the way you look at Natsu and Gray is different. But you look at Jellal the same way you look at me. Even back before Tenrou. How long has it been since you’ve figured it out?” 

“When we left for training,” she said. 

Mirajane nodded. “I… I love you, too. And I want you to be happy. I won’t pretend that I understand this perfectly, or that I’ll never get jealous, or anything like that, but… if this is something you want to try, then you should.” 

“Really?” Honestly, Erza wasn’t quite sure what she had expected Mirajane’s reaction to be, but she never would have imagined that she would accept this so easily, even  _ encourage _ Erza to form a relationship with Jellal. 

Mirajane nodded. “But, I do want to speak to Jellal about all of this.” 

“Of course!” Erza exclaimed. She would expect nothing less! 

Mirajane laughed. “Come on.” She tugged Erza down onto the bed. “We can discuss this more in the morning. I’m tired, and I want to cuddle.” 

* * *

“You are Yukino, correct?” 

Yukino spun around, heart hammering in her chest. Who could possibly want something with her this late at night? God, she should never have been out on the streets this late to begin with! 

“Please don’t be alarmed,” the woman said as she held her hand out. “I’m Princess Hisui, and there are quite a few things I would like to discuss with you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bets now, who thinks I'm gonna fail my statistics test tomorrow? 
> 
> I totally am lmaoooo


	20. Blood in the Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fourth day of the Grand Magic Games commences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all by the grace of some fucking god I got a one hundred on my statistics test???? I dunno guys but I'm vibing

“Miss Erza, can I talk to you?” 

“Hm?” Erza glanced down at Wendy. “Sure, what about?” she asked around a mouthful of her muffin. They  _ did _ need to get to the arena soon, so she hoped this wasn’t something major. They were serious competitors again, thanks to yesterday’s victories, so it was important to keep up their winning streak. 

“So, I was talking with Natsu and Gajeel…” She began to fidget with her fingers. “And Natsu said I should maybe try asking you about this, because they said they didn’t know.” 

Erza narrowed her eyes. Natsu and Gajeel had admitted to  _ not knowing  _ something? What in the hell had Wendy asked about? She swiveled around on her stool to better face Wendy. “Alright, ask away.” 

Wendy took a deep breath. “Miss Erza, how do you tell a pretty girl you like her?” 

Erza blinked, her eyes widening for a second, before she gave Wendy a serious look and placed her hand on her shoulder. “You fight her.” 

Wendy stared at her, her eyes beginning to narrow. “That… doesn’t sound right…” 

Erza shook her head. “I fought with Mira every day, and look at us now!” 

“Well…” Wendy cocked her head. “I suppose that is true…” 

Erza nodded. “Trust me, Wendy. There’s nothing women like better than another woman who knows how to fight.” 

* * *

A huge ball of water floated over the arena. 

“Well, at least we’ve got a  _ little _ bit of an idea of what this event is,” Erza said as her team stared at the water. “And a good thing, too. Natsu, you’re out.” 

Natsu huffed, but didn’t try to argue. Even he knew fire magic in a big ball of water wasn’t the greatest idea, no matter  _ how _ powerful the fire magic was. 

“Gajeel, Gray, would either one of you like to compete?” Erza asked. 

Gajeel scoffed and shook his head. “No way in hell are you talkin’ me into that. I don’t like being  _ wet. _ Besides, I bet Ju’s gonna compete in this, and there’s no way in hell she’s losin’ in an environment like that, and last thing I need is her beatin’ me. She’ll never shut up about it.” 

Erza supposed he had a point about Juvia. Laxus’s team would be fools not to have her compete in this. Water was her domain. She would dominate in this event. 

“I guess I could—” Gray began. 

“Let me compete!” Wendy requested from her spot leaned over the edge. 

“Huh?” Gajeel tugged her away from the edge. “I know y’er itchin’ to prove yourself, but this ain’t like that battle yesterday.  _ Every _ team is gonna be down there.” 

“I know!” she said, her smile as bright as ever. “But please! I promise, I won’t let you down!” 

Erza glanced down into the arena, and smirked as she saw Chelia step onto the field. Of course, Wendy hadn’t told her the girl she was trying to impress, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. 

And she could help Wendy with this, couldn’t she? “Sure, Wendy. You’ll compete for us today.” She patted her shoulder. “Show her what you’ve got.” 

Wendy nodded. “Right!” And she headed down to the arena. 

“Erz…” Natsu said as soon as she was gone. “Was that really a good idea?” 

Erza raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t believe in her?” 

He shook his head. “It’s not that! It’s just…” He nodded towards the arena. “Look. That woman had a bad feeling about her.” 

Erza narrowed her eyes as more competitors stepped onto the field. As predicted, Juvia was chosen from the B-team, Mermaid Heel’s representative joined, and… 

She frowned. That dark-haired woman hadn’t been on Sabertooth before, had she? Was she the wizard that took Yukino’s place after she was kicked out? 

“She’s the one who threatened Happy,” Natsu continued. 

Erza sighed. “Nothing to be done about it now, though. And she can’t be crazy enough to seriously hurt a little girl in front of this many people, especially over something as petty as a grudge.” 

“I don’t know,” Gray said. “Natsu’s right. Even from here, I don’t like the look of her.” 

Gajeel bared his teeth. “Bitch…” 

“Wendy will be fine. She’s tough, and skilled,” Erza insisted. “And surely the Sabertooth woman wouldn’t be that foolish to begin with.” 

* * *

“I’ll extend you the courtesy of not attacking you,” Juvia told Wendy.  _ “Unless _ we end up the last two competitors. Then I will attack without hesitation.” 

Wendy nodded. “Of course, Miss Juvia! That’s only fair, after all.” 

Juvia smiled warmly. She still wasn’t quite sure why Erza had chosen Wendy for this event, but the girl could clearly hold her own, so maybe it wasn’t so crazy. 

That being said, Juvia knew that if it came down to it, she could easily beat her. Not that it would give her any joy, but she wasn’t going to let her win out of pity or misplaced kindness. No one learned that way. 

“Wendy, Wendy!” The Lamia Scale girl ran up to them, waving and grinning. “We get to compete together again! Isn’t that so awesome?” She grabbed Wendy’s hands and began jumping up and down. “Oh, this is so exciting!” 

Wendy’s cheeks turned bright red, but she returned Chelia’s enthusiasm. 

_ Oh, it looks like she’s made a friend. _ A good thing, too. Juvia knew that Wendy was happy with the guild and the people in it, but sometimes Juvia worried about her. She didn’t exactly have friends her own age, and Juvia knew from experience that that could… hurt. Of course, Wendy didn’t seem to  _ mind, _ and it probably helped that she did have everyone else, (and Juvia hadn’t had  _ anyone _ for a long time), but it would still be good for her to make other friends. 

They were cute, though perhaps they could stand to be taking this a little more seriously. 

A shudder went through Juvia’s body, and she looked across the arena to see the Sabertooth competitor staring at her, doing nothing to hide her aggression or contempt. 

Juvia narrowed her eyes, and returned the cool glare. She wasn’t going to let that guild intimidate her. 

The woman merely smirked, and turned her head away, as if she couldn’t be bothered with Juvia in the least. 

* * *

Levy began to fidget with the hem of her dress. Why had Erza decided to enter Wendy in this event? Her battle the previous day had been brutal, and they were already tossing her into an event again? 

Was she so nervous because of her own disastrous experience in the Games? But Levy had said it herself! Wendy was  _ better _ than her, and strong enough that Erza had chosen her for her team. She really shouldn’t be this worried over it. 

And besides, it was all a game. Nobody was going to die, and what had happened to Levy was a fluke, and the guild responsible had been disqualified, thankfully. 

Yeah, Wendy would be fine. 

However, her reasoning did little to ease her nerves as the event began, and magic began to spiral through the water sphere. 

“Come on, Wendy, Juvia,” she whispered. “You’ve got this.” 

* * *

Minerva watched as the competitors attacked each other, and she carefully kept herself out of the fray, letting them fight it out amongst themselves for a while. 

As soon as the match began, Juvia sent the Quatro Cerberus member out of bounds, before quickly turning her attention to the Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel mages. 

Minerva hummed, and smoothly dodged one of the stray currents from the battle. She’d entered today’s first round to assess Fairy Tail’s power levels first hand, and possibly assert her own guild’s power as well. 

Fairy Tail was getting too bold for their own good, not to mention that people were starting to root for them now. They were becoming an issue that needed to be dealt with, and a blow to moral was probably the best way to do such a thing. 

However, the water witch could be an issue in an underwater battle such as this. Minerva didn’t know much about Juvia Lockser, she hadn’t deemed her important enough to really look into, as she had with some of the other members, but she was smart enough to figure out that this was a bad place to fight her one on one. Even now, Juvia wasn’t really taking the battle seriously. She was almost  _ toying _ with the Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus wizards, letting the fight drag on for the sake of theatricality. 

Of course, Minerva could use her territory abilities to simply pop everyone outside of the ring, but what fun was that? 

Unfortunately, that might be what she had to do with Juvia. As much as she liked her fun and relished in cruelty, she knew it was an idiot’s move to give Juvia any ground in this fight. But she could let the water mage take out a few more opponents before she ripped away the victory the woman was probably so sure of. 

Laughing softly at the idea of it, Minerva turned her attention to the other Fairy Tail mage. Little Wendy Marvell.  _ She _ was the one Minerva could use against Fairy Tail. Honestly, she couldn’t quite believe they’d handed her the perfect member on a silver platter. 

Such a young girl in a guild like that was sure to be fiercely protected. Minerva intended to have her way with Wendy, and it was  _ sure _ to make the guild angry,  _ especially _ those dragon slayers that claimed her as a  _ little sister.  _

Of course, it might upset Sting and Rogue a little bit, but who cared? Actually, making them upset could be kind of fun. Not to mention such a thing would prove that they weren’t as  _ detached _ from their family as they were claiming to be. 

Minerva bared her teeth. 

* * *

Juvia noticed Wendy send Chelia out of bounds out of the corner of her eye, and she decided it was probably time to quit dragging this out. With a wave of her hand, she blasted the Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus out of the water with ease. 

It was almost funny how easy this was, considering how much she had struggled in her event on the first day. It just showed how bad of an event that had been for her abilities. 

She spun around, ready to attack the Sabertooth mage, the only  _ real _ opponent left.

The world went dark for a second. Juvia jerked and cried out, shocked. Then everything was bright again, but she was upside down, the world was flipped all around, she couldn’t feel the water around her! 

Juvia yelped as she slammed into the dusty ground of the arena. “What the hell…?” She tried to focus her eyes, fighting past her spinning vision, to see the floating sphere of water above her. 

Her eyes widened as she jumped up. How the  _ hell _ had she ended up on the outside!? 

More importantly… that meant that Wendy had to fight the Sabertooth woman.  _ Alone. _

* * *

“What the fuck was that!?” Gajeel demanded as Juvia disappeared for a split second, then reappeared outside of the water, before landing awkwardly on the ground. 

“Space magic,” Erza said quietly. “I think.” 

Natsu began growling. “Don’t like that. Don’t like that at all.” 

And he was right. Gajeel could feel the aggression and bloodlust from  _ here. _ He didn’t like the look that this  _ Minerva _ was giving his little sister. 

Even Gray and Erza were on edge, gritting their teeth and gripping the ledge so tightly their knuckles turned white. 

Something wasn’t right with this match, that was for damn sure, and everyone knew it. 

* * *

Wendy did her best to quell the tremors in her hands as she sized up Minerva. She knew she wasn’t going to win, that much was obvious, with the way that Minerva had so easily gotten rid of Juvia, but that didn’t mean that Wendy was going to go down without a fight. 

But she didn’t like the energy she felt from Minerva. It was dark, and menacing, much too similar to enemies she’d faced in the past,  _ not _ a simple competitor. 

“Are you scared?” Minerva crooned. 

Wendy raised her fists, hoping that her expression didn’t betray that  _ yes, _ she  _ was _ scared,  _ terrified, _ actually. She didn’t like the look in Minerva’s eyes. 

“Good,” she said with an unsettling smile. “You should be.” 

Wendy summoned her magic, determined not to let her fear get the better of her. “Sky dragon wing attack!” 

Minerva vanished. 

“Wha—” 

Cool hands wrapped around her throat. “Let’s have some fun, Wendy,” Minerva breathed in her ear. 

Wendy gasped and tried to jerk away, but Minerva only tightened her hold, before releasing a powerful burst of magic from her palms. Wendy screamed as the magic tore through her, shredded through her insides and tore the skin on her neck apart. The scent of blood overwhelmed her, her  _ own _ blood, as it clouded through the water, billowing outwards in bright puffs of red. 

Minerva laughed, and kicked her away, before appearing in front of her again. “Dragon slayers,” she muttered as she gripped one of Wendy’s pigtails. “You’re not as powerful as you think you are! You think a measly power like that could stand up to my territory magic? You’re in  _ my _ domain, and I get to do what I want with you.” 

Wendy snarled, fighting through the pain and the panic to grip Minerva’s arm. She’d been through worse, taken worse blows. How much pain had she been in in Edolas after they forcefully channeled her for so long? “Territory?” she managed to scoff. “Don’t lecture a dragon about  _ territory.”  _ And before she could think too much about it, she lunged up and sank her teeth into Minerva’s wrist. 

Wendy had never bitten anyone before,  _ especially _ after her fangs grew in, and it was  _ gross. _ She couldn’t  _ believe _ that Natsu and Gajeel did this all the time! The blood tasted so bad! And the skin and muscle around her teeth felt  _ weird,  _ bad weird! 

She decided that she never wanted to do it again. 

Minerva shrieked and punched Wendy in the nose, forcing her to let go as her eyes watered and more blood poured from her. 

“You little bitch,” Minerva hissed as she tightened her grip on Wendy’s hair. “I’ll skin you like the animal that you are.” 

Wendy’s eyes widened as she tried to wrench herself out of Minerva’s hold. She had no doubt that the woman’s threat was serious. 

Minerva’s sadistic smile widened as she struggled. “Useless little fairies…” 

Wendy screamed. 

* * *

For one of the first times in his life, no one held Natsu back. And honestly, if they had tried, he might have torn them to pieces, too. 

He’d smelt Wendy’s blood, heard her cries of pain, more times than he cared to admit, because all that did was show how often he hadn’t been able to protect her. 

But he could protect her  _ now. _ Protect her from this sadistic woman that was  _ torturing his twelve year old sister for fun.  _

Minerva’s gleeful laughter was cut off with a grunt of pain as Natsu slammed into her, digging his claws into her shoulder with one hand and grabbing Wendy with the other. The water swirled around them as he beat his wings, before shoving Minerva down and out of the water, into the ground. 

Dust and water billowed around them as Natsu landed on top of her, Wendy’s limp body still held against his chest. “I’ll fucking kill you,” he snarled. 

Minerva vanished, reappearing a few feet away with her hand pressed against her bleeding shoulder. “How dare you interfere!” she hissed. “I didn’t break a single rule of the competition!” 

Natsu flared his wings and bared his teeth. “You think I give a damn about that!?” 

“Natsu.” A hand was laid on his shoulder. 

He whipped around with a snarl, breathing a mouthful of smoke into Juvia’s face. 

She coughed and waved it away. “Natsu, give Wendy to me. She needs medical attention.” She held her arms out. 

“Let me treat her!” Chelia shouted as she ran towards them. “Please!” 

Natsu glanced down at Wendy. She was completely limp, lifeless. Blood trickled from her nose, mouth, the mangled skin on her neck, as well as from various other cuts and tears Minerva had managed to inflict. Juvia was right, but he didn’t want to  _ let her go.  _

“Natsu!” Erza called as she ran towards him, Gajeel and Gray on her heels. “Let them treat her!” 

“Are you so dumb that you’re going to let her bleed out in your arms?” Minerva taunted. 

Fire ignited over Natsu and he shoved Wendy into Juvia’s arms. “I’ll tear you to pieces, you goddamn bastard!” 

The rest of Sabertooth joined Minerva on the field, even Sting and Rogue, though they appeared… conflicted, to say the least. 

Natsu tried to rush forward, but Erza stopped him. “Wait,” she said, holding a hand against his chest.  _ “Wait.”  _

The crowd screamed for them to fight, but every wizard present held their breath, knowing how disastrous it would be if a group as powerful as them clashed with the intent to harm, or potentially  _ kill _ each other. 

Erza was the only thing in between Natsu and Gajeel, and Sabertooth, holding them back with raised hands as she sized up the guild with Gray by her side. 

Natsu glanced up, to see that Laxus’s team was missing from their balcony, as well as several other members of the guild, probably rushing down to the arena themselves, in case it  _ did _ get ugly. Whether to join in the fight, or to keep Natsu from killing someone in front of so many people, he wasn’t sure. 

“You just made the worst mistake of your life,” Erza said, voice calm and cool, but carrying a heavy weight. 

Minerva raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” She pulled her hand away from her shoulder, flicking drops of blood onto the ground. “You think we can’t handle a few rabid  _ beasts?” _

The other members of Sabertooth snickered, though Sting’s sounded very forced, and Rogue couldn’t manage to look any of them in the eye. 

Natsu bit back a growl, not wanting to prove her right. 

Erza took a step forward. “No one’s ever survived pissing us off before, and I doubt you’ll fare any better.” She whirled around. “Come on. We need to get Wendy to the infirmary.” 

Though reluctant, Natsu trusted Erza’s judgement. If she didn’t think it was the right time to attack them, then he would listen. “Come on, Gajeel,” he muttered. “She’s right.” 

Gajeel snarled, but followed. 

* * *

“Will she be okay?” Natsu demanded. 

Chelia glanced up warily. “E-Eventually… yes. But I’m afraid… I’m afraid there might be some scarring. On the neck, especially.” 

Natsu snarled, and she flinched backwards. 

“Natsu.” Gray gently grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “You’re scaring her,” he muttered, quiet enough the girl wouldn’t hear. 

He sighed, and backed off, forcing his shoulders and wings to relax. “Fuck.” 

“It’s fine,” Gray assured him. “Just maybe try not to growl so much.” 

He nodded. 

Then again, Gray couldn’t blame the girl for feeling nervous. Hell, he probably would be, too, if he was that young and surrounded by so many angry magic users, that didn’t even feel  _ human _ at their cores. He couldn’t quite believe Chelia had insisted on following them to the infirmary in the first place. 

“I’m gonna kill that fucking Minverva bitch,” Gajeel hissed from his spot in the corner. “I’ll rip her goddamn head off.” 

“Don’t swear around kids,” Erza scolded with a nod towards Chelia. 

“I swear around Wendy all the fucking time,” he argued. 

“Wendy doesn’t count,” she said. “She’s been listening to us swear her whole life, _she_ might not be so used to it.” 

Gray thought maybe it would have been better to remind him  _ not to talk about decapitating people in front of kids, _ but he didn’t say anything. Mostly because he agreed with Gajeel. What kind of monster did something like that for _fun?_ Just because she _could?_

Chelia let out a shaky breath. “It’s… No, we don’t swear much in Lamia Scale, the Master doesn't like it, but it’s okay,” she said. “Really.” She pulled her hands back from Wendy. “That’s all I can do right now. I’m sorry.” 

Erza shook her head and laid her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “You’ve done more than enough. Thank you for helping her while our own healer works on getting here. Why don’t you get back to your guildmates now?” 

Chelia gave Wendy one more worried glance, then scurried out of the infirmary, likely wanting to put as much distance between herself and the pissed off Fairy Tail mages as possible. 

“Sweet girl,” Erza commented. 

No one replied. No one said anything until the Master and Porlyusica came into the infirmary, with Laxus’s team following. 

“Chelia dealt with most of the severe damage,” Erza said. “But she was tired, and anxious. She might have missed something.” 

Porlyusica nodded and got right to work examining Wendy. 

“Well?” Gray asked. “What are they saying?” 

“It’s bullshit!” Cana shouted before the Master could reply. “They gave Wendy second, but they’re giving that goddamn fucking Sabertooth  _ bitch _ first place!” 

“Cana—” the Master began to scold. 

“Not only that!” she continued, completely ignoring him. “They’re makin’ us combine our teams! They say ‘cause Raven Tail got disqualified it’s fucked everything up, like that’s  _ our _ fault.” She crossed her arms. “And they’re giving us  _ your _ lower score! It’s fucking bullshit!” 

Gray scowled and leaned back against the wall. Cana was right. That  _ was _ bullshit. 

“The Lamia Scale girl was right,” Porlyusica said. “She’ll be okay.” 

Beside him, Natsu let out a relieved breath, though none of the anger left his expression. 

“So?” Erza asked. “What are we doing?” 

Mirajane, Juvia, and Freed exchanged glances. “We’re pulling back,” Freed said. “We decided we wouldn’t be the best choices for fighting against the Sabertooth members.” 

“What?” Erza raised her eyebrows. “But Mira! You’re S-Class!” 

Mirajane sighed and nodded. “Yes, but you have to admit, I’m rusty. My skills aren’t as sharp as they used to be, since I’m not really going on quests anymore.” 

She had a point, and Gray hoped that Erza didn’t try to argue. 

“Yeah, I’m out, too,” Cana said. She held her arm up and gestured to the half-visible runes covering it. “This was my ace in the hole, but I don’t know what the fuck it’s doin’ to me, and the rest of you have got more raw power than me without it.” 

“And obviously, Wendy is out of the question,” Makarov said. “Leaving the five of you.”

Gray nearly groaned. He couldn’t wait to hear the shouting match between Laxus and Erza over who was in charge. 

* * *

“The  _ fuck _ was that?” Rogue demanded as he shoved Minerva against the wall, curling his fingers into the fabric of her dress. 

She laughed. “Well, I appreciate you waiting until we were alone.” 

He snarled. “I’m not playing games, Minerva. I’ve supported you since I joined Sabertooth, and I held it together out there. But that was my fucking sister, a  _ little kid. _ That was too far.” 

She tapped his hand, a very clear message to let go, but he didn’t. This was something he couldn’t overlook, and he wasn’t going to let her order him around like she was used to after pulling that stunt. 

She scowled when he didn’t let go. “So much for not caring about them.” 

He bared his teeth. “Woulda been different if it was Gajeel or Natsu.  _ Not _ Wendy.  _ Never _ Wendy.” Wendy was innocent. She may have a little dragon in her, but it was nowhere near the amount of their brothers. Not to mention how  _ young _ she was. 

Minerva rolled her eyes. “You and your obsession with the weak. First that damn cat, and now that little brat of a child.” She shook her head. “They’ll pull her from the Games now. You understand that, don’t you?” 

Albeit hesitantly, he nodded. That was how Fairy Tail operated. She’d been injured, heavily injured, and they wouldn't want her to make it worse, so she was out. That was what they had done with the script mage, wasn’t it? 

“Right,” she said. “And I pissed them off. You’ve seen them, they all have tempers. Perhaps even worse tempers than  _ you,” _ she teased. 

Rogue hissed. 

“And to have monsters like that pissed off?” she continued. “They’re going to make mistakes in any upcoming fights. Not to mention how vicious they get when they’re mad, I know you’ve noticed it. What do you think would happen if a Fairy Tail mage finally snapped and killed someone in front of everyone?” 

Rogue’s eyes widened. The council had been after Fairy Tail for years, and something like that would be all they needed to finally get rid of the guild for good. “Why?” Why did Minerva hate them  _ so much? _

She laughed. “Well, for one, I think it would be very amusing. Someone needs to knock them off their high fucking horse. That ‘holier than thou’ attitude is infuriating, especially considering the things some of their members have done. Second, it proves we’re the  _ best.  _ That we’re  _ strong. _ And strength is all that matters. Now  _ let go, _ Rogue. Lest we have to get a little ugly ourselves.” 

He growled, but he let go of her, backing off a few steps. 

“Good.” She smoothed out her dress and continued down the hall. “I look forward to your performance during the rest of the events.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend: hey you know that convention we're going to
> 
> Me: yeah? 
> 
> Her: let's cosplay naruto characters 
> 
> Me:
> 
> Her:
> 
> Me: 
> 
> Her:
> 
> Me: guess I'll be kakashi 
> 
> Guys we're only like sixty episodes into it why are we like this
> 
> But in news relating to this fic, the next chapter is Gajeel and Natsu vs Sting and Rogue and I hope y'all are as pumped as I am for that fight


	21. Dragon Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu and Gajeel fight against Sting and Rogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, this bad boy clocked in at 5K words, holy FUCK 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Sabertooth had made a mistake. Of that much, Kagura was certain. Her blood had boiled at the sight of Minerva hurting that little girl for fun, but she knew it wasn’t her place to intervene. However, she was relieved that Fairy Tail hadn’t let it go on for very long. Not that she had expected them to, given their reputations. That, and it was well known that several of the members viewed Wendy Marvell as a little sister, so  _ of course _ they hadn’t let that go on. 

But,  _ but…  _ Kagura did not like the energy she felt from the ring when Fairy Tail and Sabertooth had confronted each other. Risley, who had actually been down there, told her she’d never felt such an intense pressure, whether from magic, or from anger, she wasn’t sure, though. 

Milliana leaned over. “Kagura? Are you okay?” 

She hummed. She knew she should be focusing on the upcoming match, but she couldn’t get Fairy Tail out of her mind. Based on the matchups, they were going to have to fight against Sabertooth in the upcoming tag team battles. It would be glorious to watch, but could potentially be disastrous. She guessed that the people orchestrating the matches really didn’t understand the sheer amount of power both the guilds possessed. Sure, if it was a match with nothing more than the results of this competition at stake, it might be okay. But it was so much more than that. No matter what members were chosen, it was going to be emotionally charged, and from what Kagura had heard, Fairy Tail members were… worse (for lack of a better term), when they got emotional. 

But she sighed and turned to Milliana. “I’m fine.” 

Her ears drooped a little. “Are you still thinking about Jellal?” 

She shook her head. “No.” And truthfully, she wasn’t. Kagura had done her best to put him out of her mind. She did not regret not attacking him when she met him, because there  _ would _ have been many deaths and injuries if such a thing had happened, but she couldn’t help but wonder when she would  _ ever _ get a chance like that again. 

“Maybe we could ask Erzy and her friends to help us find him again,” Milliana suggested. “She said her senses were better than they used to be, and I know dragon slayers are good at tracking.” 

Kagura didn’t answer, knowing that Milliana wouldn’t like her answer. She wanted to handle Jellal  _ herself. _ The last thing she wanted was for those fairies to butt in, even  _ if _ Erza was opposed to Jellal as well, which according to Milliana, she was. “We shouldn’t be talking about this right now,” she said. “Let’s just concentrate on our match.” 

Milliana nodded. “Right!” 

* * *

“You sure you don’t want to come watch the fight?” Gray asked as he walked into the infirmary. “It’s Kagura again.” 

Natsu shook his head, never taking his eyes off Wendy. Even if Chelia and Porlyusica had both confirmed that she would be fine, he didn’t like the idea of leaving her alone. 

Well, not  _ alone. _ Charle and Happy were curled up next to her, purring softly in their sleep, with Pantherlily dutifully guarding them at the foot of the bed, and Porlyusica sat in the corner, ignoring them all, but Natsu still didn’t want to leave. 

And neither did Gajeel, who was leaned against the opposite wall, watching their sister with the same intensity. 

Gray sighed. “Well, they just announced who would be fighting from our team.” 

“Yeah?” Natsu finally turned to look at him. “Probably Erza and Laxus, ain’t it?” They’d want to see the S-Class wizards during the tag team fights, wouldn’t they? 

Gray shook his head. “It’s you two.” 

“We’re fightin’ Sabertooth, right?” 

Gray nodded. 

Natsu bared his teeth. “Good.” He hoped it was Minerva. 

“You’ll be fighting Sting and Rogue,” he said, slowly, tentatively, like he wasn’t sure how they would react. 

“So they want a dragon slayer battle,” Gajeel said. 

Gray huffed, probably a little irritated, as he still hadn’t had the chance to compete in anything since his event on the first day. “They seem to be very entertained by you guys.” 

Normally, Natsu would be thrilled by the idea of getting to fight in an arena like this, against powerful opponents, but now he just felt… Strangely  _ empty. _

Or maybe empty wasn’t right. Maybe he felt too many things to really articulate or understand, so it was easier to say he felt nothing. 

He would be fighting his  _ brothers. _ That didn’t necessarily bother him, he  _ wanted _ to fight them, as he still hadn’t actually gotten the chance. He had no idea what had happened to Sting and Rogue, why they would ever kill Skiadrum and Weisslogia, why they would be so loyal to a guild like Sabertooth, to people like Minerva. Something had obviously happened to them, but god knew what, and at this point, there wasn’t a lot Natsu could really do about it, so he’d settle for punching their teeth in. 

But the thing was… He was angry.  _ Beyond _ angry, actually. He wasn’t sure the last time he’d ever been pissed off like this (the only thing keeping him in check was Erza assuring him he’d have his chance to pay back Minerva for what she’d done). And… He knew what he got like when he was mad. How he fought… what he could become, what he might do. He hadn’t had an incident since Tenrou, but that didn’t mean anything. 

He was pissed because Sting and Rogue had killed Skiadrum and Weisslogia. He was pissed because Minerva had done that to Wendy. He was pissed that he missed seven fucking years and that his brothers had turned into this and guilds like Sabertooth were allowed to gain so much power in the first place. 

But if he fought like that, he might snap. No, he  _ would _ snap. There was no way around it. He was going to lose himself in front of  _ thousands _ of people, probably try to kill his brothers. The ramifications of something like that… It could be  _ disastrous. _ Not just for him, but for the guild in general. 

But it wasn’t like this was something he could just back out of. And even if he could, he didn’t  _ want _ to. He wanted to fight for Fairy Tail. 

“Hey.” Gray grabbed his shoulder. “I know what you’re thinking, and cut it the fuck out. You’re not gonna snap.” 

“You don’t know that,” he muttered. 

Gajeel snorted. “Even if you do, I’ll just fucking deal with it.” 

He glanced at his brother. “Huh?” 

“You forgettin’ I’ll be in the ring with you?” he asked. “I can keep an eye on you. I know what it looks like when you start getting like that. Hell, you almost went feral on  _ me _ back when we first met again.” 

Natsu nodded. Gajeel was right. And so was Gray. He was going into this  _ wary _ about rampaging. He knew what it felt like when he started to slip. It might be risky, but if that happened, he could just pull back for a second, snap himself out of it before it went too far. 

Right? 

“You better fucking win,” Gray said. “Not just for the guild. But for  _ her.” _ He nodded towards Wendy. 

Natsu grinned. “‘Course we will!” 

* * *

“Are you even aware of how bitter your son has become over time?” 

Weisslogia snorted. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Igneel laughed, low and mocking. “You always were stubborn, Weisslogia. But even now, do you still refuse to see what you’ve done to him?” 

He sighed. “What does it matter anyways? Our plan has gone to hell in every possible way. It’s not even a plan anymore. The children are all human, will forever be human, and none of them have any idea they are even supposed to kill Acnologia. Never mind that, didn’t  _ your _ brat of a son face him once already and  _ fail?” _

Igneel bared his teeth. “And Sting could do any better?” And though he knew it wasn’t what they originally intended, but Natsu was about as far away from human as he could get at this point. 

Weisslogia huffed. “Well, we’re about to see, won’t we? Is Sting a real dragon slayer? Can he slay  _ your _ son?” 

“They were never meant to be pitted against each other like this.” 

“Like I said, it doesn’t  _ matter _ anymore,” Weisslogia snarled. “We  _ failed. _ We failed to kill Acnologia, and we failed those children, and that’s the end of it. Look at how they turned out! Not just Sting, look at what has become of all of them! Fighters, yes, but unstable. The whole lot of them. Unstable because of what  _ we _ put them through.” 

Igneel couldn’t find it in himself to argue. It  _ was _ true after all. If they had never chosen those children, then they never would have ended up like this, never would have ended up  _ here. _ “Well there’s nothing to be done about it now,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait on this to play out.” He offered his old friend a teasing smile. “Let’s see if your tricks paid off.  _ Can _ Sting slay a dragon?” 

* * *

“Don’t pull your punches,” Sting muttered as they walked into the arena. 

Rogue gave him a look. “Talking to yourself?” 

Sting bared his teeth. “Not now, Rogue.” He was confident. They weren’t going to  _ lose _ to Gajeel and Natsu. It was laughable. Even  _ if _ they claimed to have the same ability as Erza Scarlet, even if Wendy had become that formidable over time, it didn’t mean that Natsu and Gajeel could defeat them. There was no way they had the same strength as they did. Not when they had been taught dragon slayer magic  _ and _ had the lacrimas fused with their bodies. 

However, he could admit to feeling a sliver of doubt when he saw Natsu and Gajeel waiting for them in the arena. 

For all his bluster about being able to slay a dragon, Sting didn’t know if he really could. Not a dragon like Natsu or Gajeel, who still had the will to live. Who were hellbent on tearing him to shreds. 

He could admit, that his brothers looked a hell of a lot more menacing than Weisslogia had been, as he asked Sting to end his life because the world wasn’t meant for dragons anymore. 

Gajeel had always looked intense and scary, even when he was younger. But now… with all his piercings, his even more unruly hair, the claws that tipped his fingers, his bared fangs, the thick, metal-like scales that wound up his neck and brushed against the bottom of his jaw, he looked like a certified monster, some kind of creature that kids told stories about to freak each other out. 

And Natsu… Well, he looked like a demon spat right out of Hell, with the fire that already flickered over his body and the smoke he breathed. Body tense and ready for a fight, with those massive wings flared, red scales, slit pupils, all he was missing were the horns. 

Sting had to fight back a shudder. As certain as victory was, it wouldn’t be easy. 

“Don’t be stupid enough to think we’ll go easy on ya,” Gajeel said. 

Sting grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

The announcer screamed for the match to begin, and before Sting even realized what was happening, Natsu rushed forward, grabbed his head, and shoved him against the ground. 

Sting gasped as his head smashed against the ground.  _ How did he move so  _ fast? Was it because of the wings? 

Before he managed to actually pin him, Sting kicked Natsu in the stomach, pushing him back again. Sting hissed as Natsu’s claws tore across his face as he was kicked away, the heavy scent of blood already filling the arena. 

Sting got back to his feet, and licked at the blood trickling down his face. Damn, that  _ stung. _ Avoiding those claws was going to be a top priority. 

Natsu didn’t give him even a second to recover before he was on the offensive again. Fire blazed towards him, quicker than Sting could even process. He just barely managed to throw his arms up in front of his face to protect from the worst of his brother’s breath attack, guarding from the brunt of the flames. They blazed across his skin, and he bit down a cry of pain, determined not to show that he was being overwhelmed. 

Natsu’s fist slammed into his jaw. “What’s the matter, Sting? You were more impressive when you were five!” he taunted. 

“Shut up,” he snarled, throwing his hand out to send a beam of light towards his brother. 

Natsu’s wing curled around him, and the attack merely glanced off the scales. 

Sting’s eyes widened. This really wasn’t going to be easy, was it? He risked a glance towards Rogue, just in time to see Gajeel rip him out of the shadows and chuck him across the arena like it was  _ nothing. _

_ We’re not going to win like this, _ he realized. They were going to get  _ crushed _ if they kept up this fighting style and these techniques. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Natsu and Gajeel were  _ good.  _ Good at fighting and good at controlling their magic. They always had been. And now they had those draconic attributes, that only bolstered their abilities. 

Natsu launched another fireball towards him, and Sting just barely managed to roll out of the way. 

_ We’re going to have to use it.  _

* * *

Minerva snarled. Why the  _ hell _ were Sting and Rogue messing around like this? Were the morons really being so stubborn that they weren’t going to use their dragon force? If they let themselves get beat like this she was going to  _ kill _ them. 

She gripped the ledge of the balcony so tightly her fingers ached and hissed through clenched teeth, watching as Natsu beat Sting to a pulp and Gajeel tossed Rogue around like a ragdoll. Were they even fucking  _ trying?  _

Even the crowd seemed disappointed, muttering darkly, upset that the fight was so one sided, and after all the build up of a slayer versus slayer battle. 

“Come on, you goddamn incompetent  _ idiots,” _ she said. “Quit screwing around. This is pathetic.”

* * *

_ This ain’t right, _ Gajeel thought as he pinned Rogue down, letting his claws dig into his shoulders.  _ It’s too damn easy. _ After seeing what the rest of Sabertooth could do, it made no sense that Sting and Rogue were this easy to overwhelm, not when they were considered some of the guild’s most powerful members. 

Rogue melted beneath his fingers, dissolving back into a shadow and shooting across the arena before Gajeel could grab him again. He returned to a physical form and took up his spot next to Sting, as the latter bounded away from Natsu. 

They were both looking a little worse for wear. Covered in cuts and claw marks, Sting had a few ferocious burns littering his skin. 

“You gonna get serious?” Gajeel asked. “Feel like I’m just beatin’ up toddlers! It’s no fucking fun!” 

Rogue sneered. “Shut the hell up, Gajeel.” 

“Oh? Make me, ya fucking brat,” he growled. Like hell he was letting his kid brother talk to him like that! 

“I thought you were  _ better _ than us,” Natsu taunted as he settled into a fight stance next to Gajeel. “You don’t even fight like slayers!” 

Sting straightened up, pulling his hand away from the claw marks running down his cheek. “That’s ‘cause we haven’t gotten serious yet.” 

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, because that made a lot of sense, but what in the hell was he talking about? 

Magic converged on Sting and Rogue, growing thicker, heavier. The scent of  _ dragon _ curled around them. Rogue’s shadows twisted around him as black markings crawled up his neck and framed his face, and Sting’s light magic did the same, almost giving them the appearance of scales, just like his and Natsu’s. 

_ What the fuck is  _ that!? Could they switch their draconic attributes on and off?  _ Had _ they changed like he, Natsu, and Wendy had, but they could just… get rid of it if they didn’t want it, like transformation magic? That didn’t seem right, but he couldn’t come up with a better explanation. 

Sting grinned, and his teeth were  _ definitely _ sharper than they had been. “You can’t use dragon force, can you?” 

Considering Gajeel had no idea what the fuck dragon force even  _ was, _ he was going to go out on a limb and guess that,  _ no, _ he couldn’t. 

Rogue surged forward, and shoved his shadow-wreathed fist into Gajeel’s chest, sending him flying backwards. He vanished back into a shadow, before materializing behind Gajeel, hitting him point blank in the back with a breath attack. 

Gajeel gasped and stumbled forward. How was he moving so much faster? And his attacks and shadow manipulation seemed stronger, too. 

Shadows whirled in front of him, and Gajeel swung, only for Rogue to catch his fist, flip him over his shoulder, and slam him into the ground. The world spun for a second. It’d been a long fucking time since someone managed to throw him around like that. Rogue appeared above him and pressed his face against the dirt. “Who’s not serious, now, Gajeel?” 

Gajeel snarled and grabbed at Rogue’s arm, but didn't really try to push him off. “Is this what you used to kill him?” 

Rogue’s eyes widened as he stiffened. 

“Whatever the fuck this is, you used it to kill your fucking  _ father.” _ He bared his teeth. “I’ve done some fucked up shit, but at least I’ve never done that.” 

“Shut up!” Rogue punched him. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” 

He turned his skin to metal, unable to hold back a snicker as Rogue punched him again, crying out as he knuckles cracked against the iron. 

“And I didn’t…” He bared his teeth in a snarl. “I didn’t use this to kill him, but the same can’t be said for you.” 

Gajeel couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “You actually think you can kill me?” He shoved Rogue off of him. “Stop being a fucking  _ dumbass!”  _

_ “Shut up!”  _ Rogue roared, before sending a mass of shadows towards Gajeel. “You don’t know  _ anything!” _

Gajeel clenched his teeth as the shadows managed to slice through his iron skin. How fucking powerful were they!? He summoned his magic for a counterattack. 

The ground shuddered,  _ cracked, _ and he stumbled as it collapsed. He yelped, and scrabbled at the debris, trying to keep himself from falling down the pit that was created. Natsu’s limp body fell past him, crashing against the chunks of stone as he fell down the hole. 

Gajeel risked a glance up, just before he lost his grip and slipped off the ledge he clung to.  _ What the fuck just happened? _

* * *

This match was  _ insane.  _ Of course, Levy knew how dragon slayers fought, the guild had  _ four _ of them, after all, and she was fairly close to three of them, but this was truly something else. She couldn’t believe how easily Rogue and Sting had managed to turn the tables. Whatever that strange power of theirs was, it increased their abilities almost exponentially. She’d never seen anything like it! Perhaps she could do some research into it later, figure out if it was at all possible for Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, or Laxus to accomplish something like that. 

She shook her head. Even if it was possible, it wasn’t like it would help Gajeel or Natsu  _ now.  _

Rogue had Gajeel pinned, and it looked like they were in the middle of some kind of screaming match. 

Natsu wasn’t faring much better. Sting’s light magic was impossible for him to dodge. He was struggling, barely able to keep on the defensive, let alone attack. He flared his wings, and took to the sky, trying to aim attacks at Sting from above. 

It was a decent strategy, but it did nothing to deter Sting. He easily dodged any of the fire that rained down. He threw his arms out, called out a spell, and bright beams of light shot down from the sky. 

The ground splintered as the light magic connected with it, and Natsu screeched as the magic connected with him. He went completely limp, and fell down the massive pit that the attack had created. Gajeel clung to the edge of the hole for a moment, before he fell down into the pit as well. 

Levy’s hands covered her mouth as she gasped. Both slayers collided with chunks of stone on the way down, before crashing into the ground. 

And they didn’t get up. 

“No, no, no, no,” Levy muttered. “No, you wouldn’t lose. You’re  _ not _ going to lose. You can get up. You have to  _ get up.”  _ They weren’t going to let Sabertooth win! They just weren’t! Not after what they did to Wendy. They couldn’t be  _ allowed _ to win! 

Gajeel and Natsu never stayed down. They didn’t  _ lose _ fights. 

“Get up,” she whispered.  _ “Get up.”  _

* * *

Rogue bounded down into the pit, landing delicately next to Sting. “You may have went a little overboard.” 

Sting shrugged. “Who cares? We won.” 

Rogue turned his attention to Gajeel and Natsu, lying limp and dirty among the rubble. He felt a twinge of remorse. He didn’t like hurting them, but he didn’t know them like he used to. Why should he be more loyal to them than to Minerva and Sabertooth? 

“I admit, it was more difficult than I thought it would be,” Sting said. “You two really are something else. Dragons through and through.” 

A little smile tugged at Rogue’s lip. They really were a lot like dragons, weren’t they? They reminded him so much of their parents. 

“But you still weren’t better than us,” Sting said as he turned his palms up. 

Gajeel scoffed, and began to force himself up. 

_ You have to be fucking kidding me.  _ He’d just fallen down a pit, after taking a ton of hits before that. How the  _ hell _ was he getting back up? “Just stay down, Gajeel,” Rogue said. “This doesn’t have to get any worse.” 

“Like hell.” He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. “You two sure are real fucking cocky, ain’t they, Natsu?” 

Natsu’s wings twitched. “Yeah… Neat trick, I’ll give you that. But if that’s all you got, I don’t think it’s good enough.” He stood up and stretched his wings. “Did knock me out for a second, though.” 

“You look fucking awful,” Sting said. “You  _ really _ think you can still win?” 

Natsu shrugged. “I ain’t even got mad yet, you thought we were serious?” 

Gajeel threw his head back and laughed. “Habit, I guess. I just couldn’t help it. We always let you beat up on us when we were kids, you know.” 

Rogue’s eyes widened.  _ No, no, there was  _ no way! Gajeel and Natsu  _ could not _ have faked getting overwhelmed like that. Why would they even  _ do  _ that? 

“Y’er sloppy,” Gajeel continued. “Your ticks are too obvious, I know exactly when you’re gonna attack, and what kind you’re gonna use.” 

Natsu snickered and leaned against Gajeel’s shoulder. “He’s right. Sting, quit pivoting your foot like that. It’s so fucking obvious. Who the hell taught you to fight?” 

Sting’s jaw dropped. 

_ “I _ learned from Erza and Gildarts,” Natsu said with a grin. “Best of the best!” 

“You gotta quit talkin’ Scarlet up so much,” Gajeel said. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool, but not that great.” 

Natsu frowned, then shoved his brother. “Shut up! Erz is fuckin’ amazing!” 

Gajeel stumbled back a step, and the ground cracked around his foot, before it crumbled away. He let out a shocked yell as the ground gave way, leaving him to scrabble at the edge. “Dammit, Natsu!” he snarled. 

Natsu laughed. 

Gajeel tried to pull himself back out of the hole, but the edge gave way, and he fell down yet another pit with a screech. 

Natsu’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit… He’s gonna kill me later.” 

Sting shook his head. “Whatever. If you’re so confident, let’s go. It’s one on two, now. There’s no way in hell you have a chance.” 

Just like that, Natsu’s easy mood melted away. He punched his fist into his palm, his fire igniting. “Bring it on, then.” 

* * *

“He just… shoved Gajeel… down a pit…” Juvia muttered. 

Cana whistled. “I can’t fucking wait to see the aftermath from that little move.” 

Lisanna just sighed and shook her head. It really didn’t surprise her. Sure, Natsu hadn’t exactly  _ meant _ to shove Gajeel down a hole, but… they really shouldn’t have expected them to fight in a tag team battle together and not have something like that happen. They were notorious for arguing like that. 

But she could admit she was relieved. Of course, she suspected that Natsu hadn’t been fighting as hard as he possibly could. She’d known him for a long time, she could tell if he was fighting for real or not. She just didn’t understand  _ why _ he was going so easy on Sting and Rogue? It couldn’t be because they were siblings, because he had sure as hell never gone easy on Gajeel, or even Wendy, really, when they fought for fun and training. It didn’t make sense. 

But… it did look like he’d finally gotten serious. 

She only hoped he let them walk away. She knew how angry he was with them, and now he didn’t have Gajeel to hold him back if he took it too far. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, Natsu,” she said. 

“Shoved him down a  _ pit,” _ Juvia said again. 

She chuckled. “Well, anything  _ more _ stupid.” 

* * *

Dragon force. 

Natsu didn’t really know what it was, but it seemed to give Sting and Rogue more dragon-like abilities and features, made them stronger, turned them into a more dragon-like being. 

So… if that’s all it was… it made sense that he hadn’t used or unlocked such an ability. Gajeel either. Because they were already dragons, more or less. Short of turning them into the actual creatures, there was nothing to be done to make them more draconic or give them even more draconic powers and abilities. 

Their altered bodies had no need for a  _ dragon force.  _ There was just no point in it. 

It made sense, to him, anyways. 

“I don’t understand!” Sting shot a beam of light towards Natsu, that he easily dodged. “How can you be better!? You can’t be  _ better! _ Dragon slayers are better than dragons! It doesn’t make any fucking sense!” 

Natsu slammed Rogue into the ground as he tried to land a kick. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. We were never meant to be  _ better _ than them!” 

“Then why!?” Sting practically screamed. “Why would they make us!?” 

Natsu didn’t even bother replying, opting instead to aim a breath attack at his brother. The dragons hadn’t  _ made _ them. The dragons  _ loved _ them. 

“He’s right,” Rogue said below him. “Look at yourself, Natsu. Surely you can’t believe that something like  _ you  _ was ever meant to exist.” 

“Shut up,” Natsu hissed. “Shut the hell up.” What did they know? What the  _ fuck _ could they possibly think they knew about  _ him? _ About any of this!? 

Rogue melted into the shadows, and reappeared next to Sting. “Get a hold of yourself. We’re going to do a unison raid.” 

Natsu raised his eyebrows, shocked.  _ A unison raid? _ They would have to channel each other! Something like that would completely incapacitate them! Even he could tell that was a stupid move! Were they that desperate? 

The magic around them thickened as they joined hands, the shadows and light blending together. They grit their teeth, but didn’t seem to be in the same intense pain that Natsu was in when he tried to channel someone, or let someone channel him. 

It was impressive, he supposed, but he still wasn’t worried. Despite it all, it still wouldn’t be good enough. Sting and Rogue had improved since they were kids, but not like he had, not like Gajeel and Wendy had. He wasn’t sure  _ why, _ exactly, but it just wasn’t the same. 

Not to say that they weren’t powerful, but they just weren’t powerful  _ enough.  _

The magic swelled up, growing wilder and more intense. Sting and Rogue threw their free hands out, ready to launch the spell towards him. 

Natsu raised his own palms, calling on his fire, ready to unleash the true power of his Second Origin for the first time since it had been unlocked. More fire than Edolas, more fire than he had used against Grimoire Heart. 

Briefly, he wondered if he might destroy the entire coliseum. 

He decided that might be kind of funny. 

Sting and Rogue unleashed their magic. 

Natsu released his fire, laughing as it burned through Sting and Rogue’s attack. The arena rumbled as the powerful explosion blazed through the pit they were in. The rocks cracked and melted beneath the heat. Beneath the rumbling and shaking, Rogue and Sting’s cries of shock and pain were barely able to be heard, as Natsu’s fire was strong enough to not only cancel out their attack, but completely  _ burn through it, _ and land on the pair of slayers. 

The explosion began to fade, the rocks beginning to settle once again. Above, the crowds and announcers chattered with confusion, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. 

The last of the smoke dissipated, revealing Sting and Rogue’s limp bodies, sprawled across the broken rocks, covered in dust, burns, and smoke stains. 

Natsu sighed, and walked over to make sure they were really down, though he seriously doubted they were getting back up after something like that. He sensed they were still conscious, just barely, but no. They wouldn’t be getting up again. 

“I don’t know what happened to you two,” he said, not expecting a reply. “I don’t know why you would ever kill Weisslogia or Skiadrum, but if you ever want to actually try and fucking explain, we’ll listen, I guess.” He could handle that without an angry outburst, couldn’t he? Well, he could try, at the least. “We  _ are _ family.” 

Sting coughed, and cracked an eye open. “Why…” 

Natsu leaned down. “Why… what?” 

But he didn’t answer, the last of his consciousness slipping away. 

“Well!” Natsu stood up straight, and grinned. “That was a great time! It felt very nice to kick your asses.” They’d needed it, that was for damn sure. “It was fun, fighting together like that.” He took a deep breath. “I missed it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super excited for the next chapter everyone! We finally get to find out what Ultear discovered for Gray and Juvia


	22. Bones of the Past, Blood of the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jellal meets an interesting person, Gajeel discovers a dragon graveyard, Ultear reveals her discoveries to Gray and Juvia, and Sting and Rogue face the consequences of their defeat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really fun, I always enjoy writing for Ultear and Meredy

Impact with the ground had his head spinning. Dark spots flickered at the edges of his vision as he pushed himself up with a groan. “Godammit, Natsu,” he growled. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Gajeel glanced up, trying to figure out how in hell he was supposed to get out of this hole, or tunnel, or cave, or whatever the hell it was. 

Faintly, he could still hear the sounds of the fight, though not well enough to tell exactly what was going on. He had no doubt that Natsu could handle them on his own, but he was pissed as hell that he got to take the final shot at them by himself. 

Because there was no way he was climbing out of this hole. He drug his hand down the rock, biting back a frustrated groan. It was too smooth, there was no way he’d find any decent footholds. 

“Fucking hell, Natsu.” He turned, looking down the various tunnels. He didn’t know why there were tunnels beneath the arena, let alone this many. Not to mention that they were man made. These weren’t naturally occurring. They were too deliberate. 

They were old. A couple hundred years old, at the least. Was the arena that old? He didn’t think anyone knew about them, there were no fresh scents. Just dirt and rocks. 

With nothing better to do he picked a tunnel, and started walking. 

* * *

That wrong magic power had started up during the match again. Ultear stayed at the arena to keep an eye on things, but Meredy came with Jellal, just in case someone like Kagura interrupted again, so at least one of them could continue to chase after Zeref, or whoever might be the cause of this. 

“It’s close,” Meredy panted as they shoved through the crowds. 

Jellal grimaced, and he caught sight of a familiar black cloak weaving amongst the crowd. They  _ weren’t _ going to get away this time. Kagura Mikazuchi was still in the arena watching the fight, and he didn’t know who else might try to stop them. 

Then again, he still had no idea who Kagura was, so who was to say who else might have it out for him? 

“There’s someone else following us,” Meredy said quietly. “I don’t recognize him.” 

Jellal risked a glance over his shoulder, and sure enough, she was right. Wasn’t that the man that had been sitting close to them in the stands? He looked vaguely familiar… He couldn’t be a Fairy Tail member, could he? But if he was, why was he not with the rest of the guild? 

Meredy pulled the hood of her cloak lower. “I’ll deal with it. Keep after whoever that is.” She stopped and turned around, feigning bumping into the man. 

_ She better not end up arrested.  _ But he couldn’t worry about Meredy right now. She knew what she was doing. She was more charismatic and better at blending in with others than Jellal and Ultear were combined. 

The person in the cloak rounded a corner, vanishing into an alleyway. 

_ Perfect.  _ There would be less people to interrupt. 

Jellal rounded the corner, and the person turned to face him. “Why are you following me, Jellal?” 

He stopped, not expecting a feminine voice. “How do you know who I am?” 

She gripped the edges of her hood. “Tell me why you’re following me, and I might reveal my face. You’re not the one I wanted to talk to.” 

“You have a power similar to Zeref’s,” he said. “A wrongness about you.” 

She sighed. “I suppose that would make sense.” She flipped her hood back, letting her blonde hair tumble down her shoulders. 

Jellal’s eyes widened. “Lucy…?” He’d never actually met the girl, seen her from a distance amongst the Fairy Tail mages, but that was it. And he was  _ positive _ she was still in the arena, watching the tail end of the dragon slayers’ fight. 

She nodded. “Yes, I’m Lucy. But not the Lucy that you know.” 

“Then who are you?” he asked coolly. 

Lucy sighed. “Come with me.” 

* * *

“Oh!” Meredy exclaimed. “I am  _ so _ sorry!” She patted the man’s shoulders, like she was brushing dirt off him. “I really should slow down, shouldn’t I?” 

The man frowned and batted her hand away. “Who the hell are you? Do you work with Jellal?” 

Meredy’s easy smile vanished. “I think I should be asking who the hell  _ you _ are,” she hissed quietly, leaning closer, not wanting the crowd to overhear. “Why are you following us?” 

“Relax,” he said. “I’m Mest, and I used to be a member of Fairy Tail. Jellal is allied with them, isn’t he?” 

She shook her head. “Being a  _ former _ member of Fairy Tail does little to make me trust you. So I’ll ask you again,  _ why _ are you following us?” 

“Never mind, then,” he said, beginning to turn away. “If you’re going to be this difficult.” 

“Hey–” Meredy grabbed his wrist. 

“Let go,” he said. 

Meredy let go, and she did not try to follow him until he disappeared into the crowd once again. 

She blinked, and shook her head, wondering why in  _ hell _ she’d let him go so easily! It had just seemed like the right thing to do— _ Mind altering magic, _ she realized.  _ It was damn mind altering magic!  _

She groaned in frustration. She’d let Jellal run off by himself for nothing, and she could never hope to find him again in this crowded mess. 

With little else to do, she headed back towards the arena to find Ultear. She would have to remember to ask Fairy Tail about a member named Mest when she got the chance. 

* * *

The scent of death never really left bones, no matter how old they were. Sure, it became fainter, nearly undetectable to anyone with a worse sense of smell than Gajeel, but he knew something dead resided in this massive underground network. 

The tunnel opened up into a massive cavern, and the scent of old bones grew so strong he nearly gagged. 

Piles of skeletons littered the ground and stones. They were sprawled all over everything, the giant bones covering more surface than not. 

_ Dragon skeletons. _

Gajeel tried to ignore the dread he felt spreading through him. He was no stranger to death and decay, but this place… something wasn’t right about it. 

He slid down the stone he stood on, wanting a closer look at the bones. 

God knew how long they had been down here. Long enough to decay and be forgotten, obviously, but still… he couldn’t help but wonder. 

Wonder what the hell was strong enough to kill this many dragons. 

* * *

“Gray, Juvia, I need you to come with me.” 

The pair stopped, jerking around to face her. 

“Christ, Ultear!” Gray exclaimed. “Don’t fucking sneak up on us like that!” He forced his stance to relax. “And what do you mean? I wanna go talk to Natsu about his fight.” 

Juvia nodded. “And I would like to go find Gajeel.” 

“What are you even doing here?” Gray asked before Ultear had the chance to reply. “I thought it was too  _ dangerous _ for you to be here, especially in the middle of the day.” 

“Well,” Ultear began, very matter-of-factly. “None of you are capable of doing the task we asked you to do. Or have you just been ignoring the Zeref-like power that has been lingering here the past few days. Jellal and Meredy are chasing after it right now.” 

_ “What?” _ Gray stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. “He’s  _ here? _ Where!?” 

Ultear frowned. Were they  _ that _ bad at sensing magic? Or was there some other reason they couldn’t feel it the same way Crime Sorciere could? “As I said, Jellal and Meredy are handling it. I have something else to speak to you about. So come with me. It’s a… sensitive matter.” 

Gray let go of her, his confusion growing. “For us, specifically?” 

Ultear nodded. “Of course, it would be understandable if you wanted to involve the rest of your guild in this, but I thought it best to tell the both of you first, privately, and leave it up to you.” 

Juvia’s skin paled. “How serious is this?” 

Ultear backed out of Gray’s hold and started back down the hallway. “I will explain more after I know for sure no one could be eavesdropping. Where could we go?” 

“Freed and Levy have got wards and enchantments all over the infirmary,” Gray said. “We got a little… paranoid, after the Raven Tail mess.” 

Ultear nodded. “Let’s go, then.” 

The walk to the infirmary was a very awkward one. Juvia and Gray realized that she wasn’t going to answer questions until they were out of the arena’s hall, and trailed after her, muttering quietly to each other. 

Ultear’s hand wandered towards the file in her bag, and she gripped it so tightly the paper crinkled beneath her fingers. How was she supposed to  _ tell _ them this? If it was true, and it  _ must _ be, it made too much sense, what did that mean for them? 

They got to the infirmary, and Gray asked the old healer woman if they could have the room. She huffed, and said she planned to leave as soon as anyone else came down. 

Wendy Marvell was still unconscious, with three sleeping Exceeds curled around her. Ultear pointed to them. “Will they wake up?” 

Juvia shook her head. “They gave Wendy sleeping medicine, not wanting her in anymore pain.” 

“And those cats sleep like fucking rocks,” Gray said. “They’ll stay asleep unless we start screaming or something. But I don’t know when anyone else might come down, especially after that fight. Natsu will probably need at least a few bandages.” 

Ultear nodded. She’d been planning to make this as quick as possible anyways. “What do either of you know of the demons of the Books of Zeref?” 

They stiffened. “Why are you asking about something like that?” Juvia demanded. 

Gray laid his hand on her shoulder, and glared at Ultear. “Yeah, what the fuck do they have to do with anything?” 

She returned the glare, not in the mood for mistrust and prickly answers. “I need you to answer me truthfully. Obviously, you know of their existence. What of Tartaros? E.N.D.? How much do you  _ actually _ know?” 

“Tartaros?” Juvia demanded. 

“E.N.D.?” Gray asked. 

Ultear let out a sigh of relief. This was already a mess of a situation, the last thing she wanted to do was make it worse by introducing them to either one of those things when it wasn’t necessary. “Never mind,” she said. “But you know Zeref created his demons? By writing them into his books, right?” 

They nodded, eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

“And Gray, you know you are descended from one of these beings,” she continued. 

“Yeah… the hell’s that got to do with anything?” he asked. 

Ultear sat down on one of the unoccupied beds, and pulled the file out of the bag. “I decided to look into the death of your father, Juvia,” she said. “I thought it was suspicious the way that the council reacted to it.” 

Juvia sucked in a breath. 

“I broke into the council’s headquarters here in the capital.” She held the file out. “I found this. And…” She took a deep breath. “To put it lightly, the council has been keeping tabs on both of your families for generations.” 

“What?” Juvia asked. “Wh-Why?” 

Gray grimaced, and held his hand out, obviously wanting the file. 

Ultear didn’t give it to him. “They viewed your families as threats, tracing back to just over three hundred years ago. Juvia, that’s why they were so quick to deal with your father’s murder. Gray, that’s why they did nothing when Deliora attacked your village. And of course, they’re gunning for Fairy Tail. That has much more to it than just your presence, but that’s definitely one of the reasons they hate your guild so much.” 

“The fuck are you talking about?” Gray demanded. “Give me that!” He ripped the file out of Ultear’s hands. 

Juvia shook her head, her wide eyes beginning to fill with tears. “But  _ why? _ I don’t understand… why do they hate us so much? What did we do?” 

“You’re dangerous,” Ultear said simply. “That  _ is _ true, whether you want to believe it or not.” She gestured to Gray. “The moment  _ your _ family line was tainted by demon blood—” Then she gestured to Juvia. “And the moment  _ your _ family became involved with his, it was inevitable. I’m warning both of you now, _never_ let the council find out that you’re bonded to each other.” 

Gray glanced up from the file, even  _ more _ confused and angry. “Why the hell not?” 

“Honestly? I think they may try and kill you, Gray, legalities be damned,” she said. 

“What?  _ Why?” _ he asked. “That makes no damn sense. Me being bonded to her makes me  _ less _ dangerous.” 

Juvia nodded. “Yes, that doesn’t make any sense.” 

Ultear grimaced. “Juvia, the second you die, he’s going to snap.” 

Juvia pressed closer to Gray, who glared at Ultear. “She’s not going to fucking die,” he growled. 

“I-I-I really don’t understand what you mean,” Juvia said as she shook her head. “I don’t understand what any of this means.” 

Ultear jerked the file back from Gray, and flipped through it. “It means exactly what I said. Gray, there is no guarantee that Juvia will outlive you, especially considering the dumbass shit your guild gets up to. No one has done a bonding spell like that with a demon for  _ centuries. _ Juvia, I don’t know why the hell your family even had access to it. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. Gray, you won’t even notice it until she’s gone, but with that spell, you’ve become so dependent on her that the second you don’t have her, every scrap of your humanity is going to be ripped away. You will become a demon,  _ truly, _ and there will be no way to bring you back from that brink.” 

“I—Ultear, what the hell am I even supposed to do with that?” Gray hissed. “We can’t undo the spell, and I’m not going to let her die!” 

Dread pooled in Juvia’s eyes. “Gray, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—” 

“Hey,” he interrupted as he cupped her cheek. “It’s not your fault, and like I said, it doesn’t  _ fucking _ matter, because you’re not going to die anytime soon.” 

Juvia nodded, though she looked far from convinced, before she turned back to Ultear. “How does the council know about this? What happened to our families?” she asked. 

Ultear tossed the file aside. It wasn’t like it had any new information for her. “What do you think, Juvia? Four hundred years ago, people in your family bonded themselves to people in Gray’s, and then they died, and Gray's family became demons. There was a massacre, and  _ thousands _ of people were killed before they were finally put down.” She pointed to the file. “If you want it in excruciating detail, you can read that, but that’s basically what happened. After that was when your families parted ways, became enemies, because each side blamed the other. Until you two.” It was ironic, really. The last members of both family lines repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. Had she not been so concerned over the disastrous way this could end, she might have found it amusing. 

“God…” Gray muttered. “That’s…” 

Juvia gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. 

“Yeah,” Ultear said. She stood up, ready to leave. She’d done her job, delivered the bad news, it wasn’t up to her to comfort them. “I’ll leave you alone to figure out how you might want to deal with this, as well as who you will tell. I will tell Jellal and Meredy, because I tell them everything, but we’re good at keeping secrets. This is up to you.” 

Gray looked like he wanted to protest, but Juvia sighed. “Thank you,” she said. “For warning us.” 

She nodded. “I’m sorry I couldn’t learn more about your father’s actual death,  _ why _ he was killed or anything like that.” 

Juvia sighed. “It’s okay…” She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice, but it didn’t work. 

“Yeah, thanks, Ultear,” Gray said quietly, his voice dark. 

She hummed, and stepped out the door. 

Fairy Tail had two unawakened demons in their ranks. Two unawakened,  _ very dangerous _ demons. There was no way in hell Natsu and Gray were going to be able to live full lives before their demonic sides took over. It just wasn’t possible. 

Ultear could only hope Fairy Tail did what was necessary when the time came. 

* * *

“I hope he’s okay,” Levy said, for what felt like the millionth time. “Do you think he’s hurt? It was probably a bad fall.” 

Mirajane smirked. 

“What?” Levy asked. “What are you giving me that look for?” 

“You’ve sure been talking a lot about Gajeel lately,” she said. “Something you need to get off your chest?” 

Levy raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

“Come on.” Mirajane leaned towards her. “You can tell me.” 

Levy sighed. Was it really that obvious? “I think I did something to upset him. He’s been avoiding me ever since the first day of the Games. What do you think I did?” 

Mirajane shook her head. “Oh, Levy… That’s not what I meant. And you didn’t do anything to make him upset with you, I can promise you that.” 

“But he—” 

“Even if you did do something to upset him,” Mirajane interrupted. “Why do you care so much?” 

Levy stopped walking, frowning. She hadn’t even  _ thought _ about that. Why  _ did _ she care so much? It wasn’t like Gajeel thought they were  _ friends _ (even if Levy wanted them to be). “I don’t know,” she admitted. 

“Come on.” Mirajane nudged her, getting her to walk again. “Think about it for a while, and then get back to me. I can’t help you out until you figure this out on your own.” 

Levy genuinely had no idea what she was talking about. 

* * *

“You failed.” 

Sting flinched. Of course, he knew this was coming, but that did nothing to actually prepare him for it. Were they going to get kicked out? Just like Yukino? 

Would that really be so bad? Natsu had said… he’d said they would listen to them. Wouldn’t it be a good thing to try and reconcile with their family? 

“We’re sorry, Master,” Rogue muttered next to him, keeping his head bowed. He’d always had a better relationship with the Master and Minerva than Sting had, so it would probably be best to let him handle the talking. “We let our emotions get in the way, and—” 

“No,” the Master interrupted. “You  _ lost. _ Not only that, lost to  _ one _ of them.” 

Sting risked a glance up to see the Master’s glower, and Minerva’s smirk. She was  _ enjoying _ this. 

“We won’t lose again,” Rogue promised. 

“Oh?” Minerva stepped forward, and Sting looked away again. 

She leaned down to grab a handful of his hair and jerk his head up. “I believe Rogue. He’s never given us issues before, but  _ you—” _

“Leave him alone!” Lector hissed as he bounded forward to glare at Minerva and the Master. His fur puffed up. “Sting wouldn’t—” 

“Lector!” Sting gasped. “Don’t—” 

Minerva laughed as she leaned down and grabbed the cat by the scruff of his neck, before shaking him. “What do you think, Father?” She sneered at Lector, and he flattened his ears, not daring to try and escape her grasp. “I think kicking him out is too simple. He’ll just go crawling to Fairy Tail like that pathetic celestial spirit girl did, won’t you, Sting?” 

He didn’t know how to answer that, not when she had Lector like that. Not when he had  _ just _ been thinking about going to Fairy Tail. 

She stepped back towards her father. “I’ve always hated this cat,” she said. “So damn annoying.” 

Lector whimpered as her grip tightened. 

“No, don’t!” Sting protested, getting to his feet despite Rogue’s muttered warning not to make it worse. “I won’t—” 

Minerva threw Lector to the floor, just in time for the Master to throw a magic attack towards the little cat. 

A strangled noise escaped Sting as he watched the magic hit Lector, such a powerful attack that there wasn’t even a  _ body. _

Lector hadn’t done anything! He was just… just… a kind, loyal friend, who didn’t deserve that.  _ Never _ deserved that. 

It all happened so quickly that Sting didn’t even realize he was doing it. Not until the Master’s body lied on the floor, a massive hole in his chest from the concentrated blast of light magic. Not until Rogue gripped his shoulder and whispered, “What did you just do?” in horror. Not until Minerva threw her head back and  _ cackled. _

Sting fell to his knees, still trying to process what had just happened, what he’d just  _ done. _

The Master had just killed Lector. 

Sting had just killed the Master. 

He screamed, and dug his hands into his hair.  _ What the hell is wrong with me?  _ Why was his first instinct to kill? Why did everyone around him  _ die? _

The Sabertooth members stared, mouths agape, no idea how to react to the disaster that was quickly unfolding. 

Minerva stepped towards Sting. 

“M-My Lady,” Rogue began. “Please don’t—” 

“Hush now, Rogue,” she said, her unnerving smile never leaving. “This is between Sting and I.” 

“But—” 

She glared at him, and he shut up, but he didn’t back away from Sting. 

“I always hated that man,” Minerva said as she kneeled in front of Sting. “I always wanted to kill him myself, but the look of stupid shock on his face when that attack hit him was  _ priceless. _ I admire brutality like that, Sting. You know I do.” 

Sting lifted his head to stare at her with wide eyes. He hoped the tears didn’t spill over. 

Minerva held her hand out, and Lector materialized in her grasp. 

Sting gasped. “Lector!” He reached out, only for him to vanish again, just before Sting managed to touch him. “What…?” 

Minerva ran her hand along his jaw. “Come on, Sting. Fight for me. This guild is mine now, just as it should be. We all know I’m stronger and smarter than he was. Rogue has always been loyal to me, ever since he joined. You know he has. I want that same loyalty from you.” 

Sting glanced over at Rogue, but he was as emotionless as ever. 

“Swear you’ll fight for Sabertooth, for  _ me,” _ Minerva requested. “And you can have Lector back, okay? Among other things. Swear you’ll fight for  _ me.” _

“I-I will,” Sting said. Anything to get Lector back, to keep him safe. “I’ll fight for you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're beginning the transition from the Grand Magic Games to the Eclipse Gate arc and I'm super excited. The Eclipse Gate is one of my all time favorites


	23. A Slayer's Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy, Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and Erza summon a dragon's ghost in the graveyard

The day was finally beginning to wind down. Everyone had made it back to the inn, and Wendy had woken up a few hours ago. She was fine, mostly disappointed that’d she’d lost so badly to Minerva (even though everyone told her that  _ wasn’t _ her fault). She didn’t seem concerned by the scars on her neck either, rough, puffy things that spiderwebbed over her skin. When she’d noticed them, all she said was, “Now I match everyone else. You’re all proud of your scars, aren’t you?” 

And Erza couldn’t argue with that. None of them attempted to hide any of their scars, and proudly recounted the battle they’d received them from if anyone ever asked. 

She noticed that Gray had been quiet ever since they had come back from the arena, but Erza chalked it up to him being disappointed that he still hadn’t had a chance to prove himself like the rest of them. 

They were having a nice night. It wasn’t nearly as wild as their party the previous one, as the keepers of the inn had requested they stop, ahem, demolishing things. 

That went to hell the second Gajeel walked through the door, though. 

_ “Natsu!”  _ he roared. 

Natsu, being the moron he was, grinned. “Hey, Gajeel! Where’d you run off to?” 

Erza leaned away from her friend just in time for Gajeel to barrel into him. They flew backwards in a tangle of limbs, completely demolishing the table they landed on. “I’m gonna fucking kill you, you bastard!” Gajeel shouted. 

Erza sighed and shook her head. 

It wasn’t an actual fight. They did little more than roll around, trading punches and kicks. Gajeel grunted as Natsu managed to elbow him across the jaw. 

“The hell is your problem!?” Natsu snapped. 

Gajeel wrestled him to the floor, pinning him down. “You shoved me into a pit!” 

“Come on, guys…” Wendy squatted down next to them. “Don’t do this kind of stuff in public.” 

“Ah, glad to see you’re alright, brat,” Gajeel said as he glanced at her. “And close your eyes. I’m gonna strangle Natsu, you shouldn’t watch.” 

Natsu hissed, but didn’t bother trying to shove him off. 

“Gajeel,” Wendy scolded with a stern glare. 

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” But he got up. 

Natsu stayed on the floor, crossing his arms. “I still don’t know what the hell that was for.” 

Erza snorted. He knew  _ exactly _ what he’d done, he was just playing dumb. Sometimes she had a hard time telling when he was and wasn’t playing stupid, but that was  _ definitely _ what he was doing now, no doubt about it. 

Gajeel fussed over Wendy’s scars for a moment, before she assured him that she was okay. 

“What about you?” she asked. “Are you okay? Was it a bad fall?”

“Nah, I’m fine, but…” He sighed. “I found something you ‘n Natsu need to see. So come on, you bastard.” He kicked at Natsu. “Get up.” 

Natsu jerked into a sitting position.  _ “Ow!”  _

Gajeel sniffed. “Serves you right. But seriously…” His expression turned grave. “It’s important.” 

Natsu’s irritation began to fade away. “Yeah, alright. Erza, Gray, let’s go.” 

“Why in hell are you bringin’ Fullbuster and Scarlet?” Gajeel asked. 

Natsu shrugged. 

“Alright.” Erza stood up, and motioned for Gray to follow. “Come on. Looks like we’re going out.” 

Gray sighed, but forced himself up. “Where are we going?” 

Gajeel grimaced. “Beneath the arena.” 

* * *

“Jellal Fernandes?” Lahar asked. “Well, he’s wanted for questioning, regarding the destruction of several dark guilds, as well as some crimes committed nearly eight years ago, but it’s just questioning. He’s not technically a criminal. However…” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “The two women he travels with, Ultear and Meredy, are wanted for imprisonment, since they were members of Grimoire Heart.” 

Mest hummed. Meredy was the woman he had run into today, wasn’t she? That made the most sense, anyways. She definitely didn’t match the descriptions of Ultear, who was considered the most dangerous out of the group. 

“Why are you asking about people like them?” Lahar asked. 

Mest curled his fingers around his mug of coffee. He’d taken to drinking coffee rather than alcohol. It… wasn’t great, but he supposed it was better than slowly killing himself with booze. “I’ve seen Jellal lingering around the past few days.” Best not to mention Meredy, since she was considered an actual criminal. He wasn’t sure how Lahar would react to that. “I thought it was odd that he showed up the same time that Fairy Tail did.” 

Lahar narrowed his eyes. “Well, there is a theory that he’s aligned with Fairy Tail.” He grimaced. “He’s exactly the type of person they would associate with.” 

Mest rolled his eyes, biting back a snicker. Ever since Fairy Tail had returned, Lahar had been going out of his way to reiterate how much he hated the guild. It was amusing, considering how untrue it was. Mest knew from his reactions when he thought they were all dead, that he  _ didn’t _ hate them, even had a grudging respect for them. “Well, whatever. I was just wondering if I should be concerned or not.” 

Lahar shook his head. “This isn’t your job. You don’t have to worry about anything.” 

“It doesn’t work like that…” Whether he had been a council member or Fairy Tail mage, he had been dealing with these kinds of situations for a long time.  _ That _ was one thing he wouldn’t forget. The thrill of a life like that. He couldn’t just switch that off, even if he wasn’t technically a member of either organization anymore. 

Lahar laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I assure you, if it becomes a problem, we will deal with it. Put Jellal out of your mind, there’s no need to stress yourself out over it.” 

Mest sighed. Maybe Lahar was right. This wasn’t his job anymore, and he wasn’t exactly in the right headspace to be dealing with these kinds of things anyways, even if part of him, deep down, still wanted to. “Yeah…” 

* * *

Natsu laid his hand on a dragon’s skull, a deep feeling of melancholy unfurling in his chest. What had killed it? Why was it here? Why were  _ all _ of them here? “What happened to you?” he whispered. 

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he flinched, before relaxing, as he realized it was Gray. “You okay, man?” 

Natsu didn’t answer. 

“I know… I know how much dragons mean to you,” he continued 

Natsu took a shaky breath. “Yeah, I’m fine.” These dragons had obviously been dead for a  _ long _ time,  _ centuries, _ probably. Igneel, Grandine, and Metalicana were not here. But…  _ But, _ it was just another reminder that dragons were gone. 

He removed his hand from the skull. 

“I can’t discern a cause of death,” Erza commented. “Of course, these are ancient. But… all the skeletons are perfectly intact, no bones are broken. I suppose they could have died of natural causes, though.” 

Wendy shook her head. “No… I can sense it. They did not die peaceful deaths.” She closed her eyes, and kneeled next to one of the skeletons. “Something bad happened here.” 

“Can you tell what?” Gajeel asked. “Y’er a lot better at these kinds of things than me.” 

Wendy shook her head. “No, they’re too old. But I might… I’ve never actually tried it before, I never had a reason, and it seemed so morbid, but there is that reanimation spell Grandine taught me.” 

Natsu grimaced. “Really? Would their spirits even still be here?” 

She shrugged. “I don’t know. If they really died awful deaths, they might still linger, have unfinished business. I can try. Because… Because this isn’t something we can just leave alone.” 

Gajeel nodded in agreement. “Go for it, brat.” 

“The hell is she talking about?” Gray asked. 

“A spell to summon spirits,” Wendy said. “I need the body, or bones, for it to even work, and it has to be a strong-willed spirit.” 

“Why the hell have you never mentioned you can summon the  _ dead?” _ Gray demanded. 

She sighed. “Because… it’s a hard spell, and I always thought it would be cruel. What if the spirits think I’ve given them actual life again?” 

Gajeel rubbed her head. “We’ll deal with it.” 

“Yes, he’s right,” Erza said. She slid down the skeleton she’d climbed on top of. “And so are you. We can’t just let something like this be. This is unnatural, for a number of reasons.  _ Wrong. _ We need to know why.” 

“Alright.” Wendy clasped her hands together. “I’ll summon a spirit.” 

The air began to swirl around her, and a faint, green glow pulsed from her body. She murmured something under her breath, so quietly even Natsu couldn’t quite decipher it. 

Erza tensed up, and pressed closer to Natsu and Gray. “Strange magic…” she muttered. 

Natsu’s own muscles tensed up. He doubted he would ever understand the extent of Wendy’s abilities. Despite what it seemed, dragon slayer magic was very versatile. It granted the powers of a dragon, and most assumed it was just a destructive power. But dragons had a myriad of abilities. 

Natsu, Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue had all been taught spells and techniques specialized for combat. Natsu didn’t know why the dragons never taught them anything else, but they had never seemed concerned with it. 

However, Grandine was determined that Wendy would be a well rounded individual. She learned some of the combat techniques, but also had a heavy emphasis on healing magic, as well as a few odds and end spells like this one. Even though Natsu and Gajeel always seemed more dragon-like, appeared to have more dragon-like abilities and powers than her, they really couldn’t compare to Wendy. She had  _ all _ the powers of a dragon, not just the raw, destructive strength that they did. 

It was something most people didn’t understand, not that Natsu could expect them to, when they didn’t really understand dragons. 

A form flickered to life above the skeleton, beginning to solidify, but never becoming completely tangible. 

“You’ll have to hurry,” Wendy said through clenched teeth. “I can’t hold a spell like this for very long.” 

“Right.” Erza marched forward, brushing past Gajeel, and glared up at the massive green dragon as it finished forming. “How did you die?” 

“Way to sugarcoat it, Erz,” Gray said as he crossed his arms. 

She glared over her shoulder at him. 

The dragon narrowed his eyes, and lunged down to growl at Erza, though she wasn’t phased in the slightest. “You wish to know how I died, Faerie?” 

Erza bared her teeth. “We don’t have a lot of time, so tell us quickly.” 

The dragon raised his head, and his gaze flicked over the five of them. “Dragon slayers,” he commented. “Unfortunate creatures.” Then he laughed. “You curious to know your own fate?” 

Natsu frowned. What the hell did that mean?

The dragon’s laughter quieted as he appeared to notice the bones. “How long has it been?” 

“We don’t fuckin’ know!” Gajeel snapped. “You’re here to answer  _ our _ questions!” 

The dragon snarled. “You’re lucky I’m nothing but a spirit, brat. Or else you’d all be a nice snack.” 

Natsu growled, and instinctively spread his wings to protect Gray and Wendy, even though the dragon was right. He couldn’t actually  _ do _ anything to them. 

This dragon must have been one of the enemies of humans. Igneel had warned him of their existence, but Natsu had never thought… He never thought he would actually meet one. He’d always swore to everyone he met that dragons were  _ good. _ It felt unnatural to meet one like this. 

“I will ask again,” Erza said.  _ “How _ did you  _ die?” _

The dragon bared his teeth. “It is the fault of slayers, like  _ you.” _

“A dragon slayer killed you?” Gajeel asked. 

Natsu supposed that would make sense. He didn’t exactly know  _ why _ slayers had originally been granted their magic, but he could imagine it had something to do with protecting people from dragons like this, who could easily destroy whole cities, if they really wanted to. 

The dragon scoffed. “It has been centuries, hasn’t it? You don’t even know your own history. The bloody, traitorous history of the slayers.” 

“Why don’t you enlighten us?” Erza asked. She snapped her fingers. “And you better make it quick.” 

“Yeah, and what is this place?” Gray pushed Natsu’s wing down so he could get a better look. “Why is it beneath the arena? In our capital?” 

“That damned arena is still here?” the dragon asked. “Fiore, too? Damn, lasted a lot longer than I expected them to. The Dragon King Festival still exist? They still stealing magic from everyone?” 

“The hell?” Gajeel asked. “What are you talking about?” 

The dragon threw his head back, roaring with laughter. “Why the fuck do you think they put our corpses down here, boy? Because they wanted to  _ honor _ us? No! It was to glean whatever magic they could from us! I don’t know what the hell they were using it for, but they were taking mage powers, too, and they used that damned competition to do it!” 

“Competition?” Erza repeated. She jerked around to look at the rest of them. “Like the Grand Magic Games?” 

Natsu grimaced. Maybe they should start trying to learn more of Fiore’s history. How long ago had the country been founded? Four hundred years ago? It was something like that. Had this arena and these bones been here for that long, too? 

Erza turned her attention back to the dragon. “Why were they collecting magic? What year was all of this going on?” 

The dragon leaned down to sniff at Erza. “You sure are bold, woman.” 

“Answer the question,” Gajeel said as he crossed his arms. “We don’t have a lot of time.” 

The dragon sat back on his haunches. “Whatever. It was during the 370s.” 

“Four hundred years ago,” Gray said. “Right around the time Fiore was founded.” 

“Four hundred years, eh?” The dragon cocked his head. “Damn, I expected you slayers to die out pretty quick. Shame. We  _ hated _ you bastards.” 

Natsu stepped forward, confused. “Why? Why would you hate us? Dragons  _ gave _ us our magic.” 

The dragon snarled.  _ “Idiots! _ The slayers brought about our  _ destruction. _ It’s  _ your _ kind’s fault that we are  _ dead. _ Damned woman that discovered the magic, and every dragon stupid enough to make one of you. All that was accomplished was the creation of Acnologia.” 

A snarl built in Natsu’s throat as he began to tense up. “I don’t kill dragons.” 

The dragon laughed. “It’s only a matter of time,  _ slayer. _ It’s in your nature! In the end, you’ll all succumb to the same fate as the likes of Acnologia! A slayer isn’t a dragon or a human. A slayer takes the worst parts of both and makes a  _ beast.” _

Fire began to flicker over Natsu as he flared his wings. “I’m not—” he began to shout. 

“Who is Acnologia?” Erza interrupted, smart enough not to rise to the bait. 

“Don’t listen to him,” Gray muttered as he shook his head. “We can’t listen to them.” 

Natsu gave him a look.  _ Them? Who’s them? _

“A slayer of slayers,” the dragon replied. “He was the one who put us here, dragons and slayers alike. He became the black dragon of destruction. 

A feeling like freezing water rushing down his spine came over Natsu. “The one on Tenrou… That was Acnologia…” 

Everyone tensed, gazing out across the cavern once again, taking in the sheer amount of creatures that had been killed. Killed by this  _ one _ being. 

How stupid had they been to think they ever stood a chance against him? 

“Ah, so he’s still alive,” the dragon said. “Of course this idiotic country’s plan to destroy him didn’t work.” 

“Plan?” Erza managed to repeat. 

Natsu forced himself to look away from the bones, from the victims of Acnologia. A  _ slayer, _ who by the looks of it, hadn’t stopped his transformation. 

He shuddered. 

“This country stole magic for some half-baked scheme cooked up by a crazed celestial spirit wizard to defeat Acnologia,” the dragon said. “Well, that was the common theory amongst dragons. The humans had no clue what was going on.” 

“You better hurry,” Wendy said. Her body was beginning to shake with effort. “I can’t hold him here much longer.” 

The dragon grinned, a menacing expression with too many teeth. “You’ll meet a brutal end, slayers, just like you deserve. It’s the fate all your kind bear.” 

Natsu took a step back, unnerved by the intensity in the dragon’s glare. 

“You were never meant to exist. You were created only to serve as a weapon, before you meet your own gruesome end.  _ That _ is the truth of a slayer.” 

The dragon faded away. 

Wendy’s arms fell to her side as she gasped. “Sorry…” she panted. “I couldn’t… hold him here longer…” 

“Nah.” Gajeel laid his hand on the top of her head. “Even if you did, doubt that prick was actually gonna tell us anything helpful.” 

Erza leaned against one of the massive skulls and crossed her arms. “It is concerning, though. Never mind the destruction and calamity this  _ Acnologia _ is capable of, if the Dragon King Festival and Grand Magic Games are truly one and the same,  _ why _ has the kingdom started harvesting magic power again in recent years?” 

“And why didn’t the plan to defeat Acnologia work in the first place?” Gray asked. 

Nobody answered, because, of course, nobody had any damn idea why. 

But honestly… Natsu wasn’t concerned with either of those things. “Why did they teach us dragon slayer magic? They… they had to have known…. Known what it would do to us, known all these things about Acnologia. Why would they  _ do _ that?” 

Gajeel grimaced. “I don’t know. None of this makes a damn bit of sense.” 

Wendy forced herself up on shaky legs. “That dragon was right, though…. We  _ are _ unnatural. I don’t think beings like us were meant to exist at all.” 

“Don’t say things like that,” Erza said. 

“It’s true, though…” Natsu muttered. “I mean, look at us.” He gestured around the cave. “Look at what someone exactly like us  _ did. _ We were  _ created, _ like some kind of sick experiment, and it  _ failed. _ That dragon was right. We’re just weapons that are gonna self-destruct one day.” 

Beside him, Gray flinched. 

“That’s  _ not true,” _ Erza snapped. “Stop talking like that! That dragon just said that because he was bitter and angry about being killed by Acnologia. It has  _ nothing _ to do with you. You really think your dragons wanted to turn you into  _ weapons? _ You’ve told me how many times that they  _ loved _ you. They wouldn’t do that to you! If they really thought that your existence would be unnatural, and  _ wrong, _ they wouldn’t have taught you this magic.” 

Gajeel sighed. “Somethin’ ain’t right about it, though. Natsu’s right. At the least, they woulda known what it would do to us. Why the hell wouldn’t they tell us that? Been thinkin’ about it ever since this happened, even if I didn’t wanna say it.” 

“Again, I think you’re being ridiculous,” Erza said. “If anyone here is the freak of nature, it’s me. And since when did we care about being unnatural weapons? The hell do you think anyone in Fairy Tail is?  _ I _ think we should be far more concerned with how and why the kingdom is harvesting magic.” 

“Perhaps I can answer that,” a new voice chimed. 

Natsu jerked around just in time to watch Yukino bound nimbly down one of the skeletons. “You’re not supposed to be down here,” she said. “How did you even find this place?” 

“Natsu shoved me down a fuckin’ hole,” Gajeel grumbled. 

“How do  _ you _ know about this place?” Erza asked. “Does the rest of Sabertooth know?”

Yukino scoffed as she approached them. “Hardly. Very few people know about this. Just Princess Hisui, and her most trusted servants.” 

Natsu took note of the uniform she wore. It reminded him a little of a soldier’s. 

“So why do you know?” Gray asked. 

“After Sabertooth banished me, I was approached by Hisui, and asked to help with her plan of defeating Acnologia,” she said. 

“That’s a suicide mission,” Gajeel said. 

“How would you even find him?” Wendy asked. 

Yukino shook her head. “I don’t know all the details. Princess Hisui seems certain this will work, however. She’s been planning it since the Grand Magic Games started a few years ago. The only reason I am involved, is because she needs celestial spirit magic for the plan to work, though even I’m not sure why. She’s very… secretive.” 

“So why trust her?” Gajeel asked. “Seems pretty fucking shady to me.” 

Yukino sighed. “What other options did I have? That… and I assure you she is sincere, of that much I’m sure.” 

“Why are you telling us this?” Gray asked. “The government fucking hates us.” 

She chuckled. “The  _ council _ hates you. The royals, not so much. If anything, they think you’re entertaining.” 

Entertaining, huh? Natsu couldn’t help but snicker. He was sure the council  _ hated _ that. 

“But the truth of it is,” Yukino continued. “My celestial spirit magic is not enough on its own. Princess Hisui wishes for  _ your _ celestial spirit wizard to help as well.” 

“Lucy?” Natsu asked. “Why the hell would she ask  _ Lucy?” _

“I can’t say for sure, but she insists it  _ must _ be her,” she said. “And I thought… well, she seemed so helpful after I was banished, that maybe she would help us out.” 

Natsu bit down a growl. Something about everything that Yukino said set him on edge. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the girl, actually, she seemed to believe every word that came out of her mouth, but something about the situation just didn’t seem  _ right. _

Everyone else seemed to be thinking the same thing, too. 

“No way in hell,” Gray said. “We’re not handing Lucy over to you for you to toss her headlong at that fucking dragon.” 

Erza nodded. “Yes, this plan of yours does not seem well thought out, from what has been shared with you. I don’t trust it one bit.” 

“Besides,” Wendy said. “Miss Lucy doesn’t really like to fight. I think you should find another celestial spirit wizard and ask them.” 

Yukino grimaced. “I doubt Princess Hisui will take no for an answer.” 

Erza growled. “Is that a threat?” 

“Just consider it,” Yukino requested. “Please. That’s all I’m asking.” And she turned and walked away, disappearing among the mountains of bones. 

“Somethin’ ain’t right about that,” Gajeel said. “I’ll be you anything that princess has got that girl twisted around her finger.” 

Erza hummed in agreement. 

They walked in the opposite direction, having experienced  _ enough _ of this dragon graveyard. Every answer they seemed to have found, only created more questions. 

And Natsu didn’t care  _ what _ Erza said. 

Something about him wasn’t right. He’d suspected it for a while, between his nightmares, and the blackouts when he fought, even the missing memories from his childhood were beginning to bother him, even though they never had in the past. Everything that dragon said about him was  _ right. _

What the hell was wrong with him? 

* * *

Though Yukino had seemed insistent she could convince Lucy to work with them of her own volition, Hisui did not want to risk it. This plan was too urgent, too precarious. They couldn’t rely on the Fairy Tail mages just doing what was asked of them. 

She would handle Lucy Heartfilia herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're officially in Eclipse Gate territory! Ahhh! I'm so excited!


	24. Double-Edged Sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Tail discusses what to do in the wake of Lucy's disappearance, and the discovery of Hisui's plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's midterm time and I'm dying
> 
> But, spring break is next week so then I'll have a relapse thank god

“Hey, have you seen Lucy around?” Cana asked as soon as Erza and the others got back to the inn. 

“She’s not here?” Erza asked, concern and dread flooding through her. 

Cana shook her head. “No, she went to pick up some food pretty soon after you guys left. She’s not back, though.” 

“Gray, go get the Master,” Erza said. 

Gray nodded and stepped away to find him. 

“What?” Cana asked, glancing between them. “What’s got you guys so damn twitchy? The hell did you go do?” 

Erza ignored her. “Gajeel, Natsu, Wendy, go out and see if you can’t find Lucy?” she suggested. “We don’t want to overreact.” 

Gajeel huffed. “Why do I have to go look for Heartfilia? Can’t someone else do it?” 

Erza glared at him. 

Wendy grabbed his hand. “Come on, Gajeel. Miss Erza is right. We don’t know what’s going on, but Miss Yukino said… It is a little odd that no one knows where she is right now.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go,” he muttered. 

Cana’s expression turned a little more serious as they left. “The hell is going on, Erza?” 

“Where’s Loke?” she asked. 

Cana frowned. “Celestial spirit realm. Without Lucy I don’t have any way to get into contact with him there.” 

Erza nodded and grabbed her wrist. “Right. Come with me. Maybe it’s better if we discuss this privately. Don’t wanna cause a panic.” 

“The fuck!?” Cana demanded. She tried to escape Erza’s grasp, but it was a useless endeavor. “You’re gonna tell me what’s going on right fucking now! What’s going on with Lucy!?” 

Several other members turned to see what the commotion was about, but thankfully most of them wrote it off as just another spat between mages that had gotten a little physical. Erza dragged Cana through the inn, to the back corner where Gray was talking quietly with the Master. 

Mirajane narrowed her eyes, and followed after Erza, probably sensing something was wrong. Laxus wasn’t far behind. 

“Erza, do you really believe that the royal family has done something with Lucy?” the Master asked as they approached. 

_ “Huh!?” _ Cana demanded,  _ finally _ managing to wrench herself out of Erza’s hold. “The  _ royal family?” _

Erza let out a breath. “I can’t say for sure. There’s no proof. But Yukino, that ex-Sabertooth member, said that Princess Hisui wanted Lucy’s help for some kind of plan to defeat Acnologia. And now she’s missing. It’s… It is suspicious.” 

_ “Acnologia?” _ Mirajane leaned over Erza’s shoulder. 

Erza ignored her for the moment. “I sent Gajeel, Natsu, and Wendy out to look. But if they don’t find her soon, I think it’s safe to say what happened.” 

“Why the fuck would she want  _ Lucy _ though?” Cana asked, her voice shaking with worry. “She’s not… Well, compared to a lot of you, she’s not especially powerful.”

“Something to do with celestial spirit magic,” Gray said. “It’s rare, and Lucy  _ does _ have a lot of Zodiac keys. Actually…” He frowned. “If you combine her and Yukino’s keys, doesn’t that make all twelve Zodiac keys?” 

“Shit… Yukino said something about that the night she was here. Some legend about all twelve keys creating something called an Eclipse,” Cana said. 

The Master motioned for them to follow him, probably to go somewhere more private to discuss… what exactly all of this meant. Cana, Gray, and Mirajane followed immediately. 

Erza sighed as she turned to Laxus, who had been subtlety listening to the conversation, but hadn’t said anything. “Come on, Laxus,” she said. There was no point in keeping him out of the loop. Really, there was no point in keeping  _ anyone _ in the guild out of the loop. It would just be better to get themselves sorted out first before they told everyone else, less likely to cause a panic. Or, more likely, a half-baked rescue scheme that might not even be necessary.

The dragon slayer raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised by the urging, but he followed. 

“Okay,” the Master said as he shut the door to one of the inn’s rooms. “Gray told me about the dragon graveyard you discovered, and what this Yukino told you. She’s working for the princess now?” 

Erza nodded. “Yeah, we know that much for sure. And we know she wants Lucy to work for her too. Yukino didn’t seem to think that Hisui would just let Lucy say  _ no.” _ She sighed and shook her head. “And the dragon ghost we summoned… he suggested that the Grand Magic Games were being used to harvest power. I think that might be a facet of this plan that the princess has created.” 

“Dragon ghosts? The princess?” Laxus snorted. “The hell have you gotten into, Scarlet?” 

“Hey.” Erza pointed at him. “This has nothing to do with me, specifically. Or really even the guild, at this point. Hisui just wants celestial spirit wizards, and we happen to have one of the few left in our guild. That’s it.” 

“Well I ain’t letting some stuck up princess bitch do whatever the hell she wants with my girlfriend!” Cana exclaimed, before punching her fist into her palm. “I’m going and getting her back!” She turned to march out the door. 

“Hang on a second.” Mirajane stopped her. “We have to think about this.” 

“Let go of me!” Cana shouted. 

The Master shook his head. “She’s right, Cana. We still don’t know for sure the princess even has her. And if she does, she’ll have her in the palace. It will be difficult to get her out of such a place, and you certainly can’t do it alone.”

Cana growled and shoved Mirajane away, but she didn’t try to leave again. 

“I think we have to ask the question of if this plan will even work,” Laxus said. “If they can really kill that dragon, should we stop them?” 

“There’s no way in hell they can kill that thing,” Gray said, speaking up for the first time. 

“And what makes you say that, Fullbuster?” Laxus asked. 

He grimaced. “If we couldn’t even put a scratch on it, how in the hell could Princess Hisui, and two celestial spirit wizards,  _ possibly _ do anything to that monster? Even  _ if _ they have been stealing guilds’ power with the Grand Magic Games.” 

“He has a point…” Mirajane said quietly. “We  _ know _ the kingdom doesn’t have the raw power that guild mages do.” 

“Not to mention, evidently the kingdom has failed at trying to kill Acnologia before,” Erza pointed out. “It’s not a smart decision to rely on them to do this.” 

The Master nodded. “There’s also the possibility that this will only anger the dragon, and bring his wrath down on innocents.” 

Erza hadn’t even thought about that. “Yeah, we need to get Lucy  _ away _ from them. That seems to be the easiest way to throw a wrench in things for them. Even  _ if _ we went public with this, I doubt anyone would believe us. And even if they did, what would it really accomplish? It’s  _ Princess Hisui, _ and who knows who else in the government might be involved.” 

“You think that council might be?” Mirajane asked. 

The Master shook his head. “No, that’s not how they operate. This is almost certainly all the royal family’s doing.”

“Well whatever, I don’t care about the damn reasons,” Cana spit. “Who’s coming with me to get my girlfriend back?” 

“I will—” Erza began. 

“No,” the Master interrupted. 

_ “No!?” _ Erza and Cana demanded in unison. 

“No,” the Master repeated. 

“Why the hell not?” Erza asked. 

He sighed. “Because of the Games. Think about it. If the members on the team are suddenly replaced, Hisui would likely suspect something. It’s not smart for you, Gray, Laxus, Natsu, or Gajeel to go after Lucy.” 

“I guess that’s true,” Erza relented. As much as she didn’t want to let Yukino and Hisui get away with this, she knew it would be beyond suspicious if she was no longer on their team for the Games. “But what are we going to do?” 

“I doubt they’re going to enact whatever plan this may be immediately, so we’re going to be smart about this,” the Master said. “Formulate a strategy.” 

Cana groaned and threw her head back. “It’s going to be a long night.” 

* * *

“The scent vanishes here,” Wendy said, before falling back to sit on a bench. “Miss Erza was right… They really did take Miss Lucy.” 

Gajeel sighed. “This was useless. We already  _ knew _ they had her.” 

Natsu sniffed at the air. “There’s several other scents here. Probably the people that grabbed her. Should we follow them?” 

Wendy shook her head. “No, we should go back to the inn. We already know they took her to the palace. And we really shouldn’t try and go get her ourselves.” Storming the palace would be all it took for the council to finally revoke their status as a guild. 

Natsu sighed and sat down on the sidewalk, wrapping his wings around himself. “Today sucked.” 

Wendy rubbed at the scars on her neck. First the incident with Minerva, then Natsu and Gajeel had to fight Sting and Rogue, the dragon graveyard, what that dragon had said… And now Lucy had been taken, and the kingdom was scheming something dangerous. 

They couldn’t even celebrate their new lead in the competition. 

Natsu stared at his hands, curling and uncurling his fingers. “Why would they teach us dragon slayer magic? Why did… Why did they even decide to raise us? Why would they  _ do _ that?” 

Wendy glanced towards him, recognizing that dangerous confusion in his voice. Natsu was  _ thinking. _ He was going to think himself into a frenzied panic if he wasn’t careful. “Natsu—” she began. 

“They had to have known…” he continued, not even acknowledging her. “They had to have known what it would do to us! What being a slayer  _ meant! _ Why did they pick us!? What was so different about us!?” 

Gajeel roughly laid his hand on Natsu’s head, gripping a handful of his hair. “Calm down.” 

Natsu tensed. 

“They raised us ‘cause we didn’t have anyone,” he said. “You know my parents were dead, so were Sting’s. Wendy and Rogue’s just wanted rid of ‘em.” 

Wendy hopped off the bench to sit next to Natsu. Grandine had told her her parents had given her up. It had never bothered her, not when she had Grandine and everyone else. Their birth parents had never meant anything to any of them. But then again… at least Wendy, Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue knew what had happened to theirs. 

Natsu… He had no idea. He knew  _ nothing _ about his past. 

“What about me?” he asked. “Why would he pick  _ me?” _

Wendy pressed against him, and nuzzled his shoulder. “Igneel didn’t pick you for something. They just wanted to help us, because we had nothing else.” 

“I ain’t gonna lie, Natsu,” Gajeel said, still not looking at him. “Just before the dragons disappeared, I remember thinkin’ something was wrong. And you… something was  _ wrong _ with you when Igneel brought you back. You had this dull fuckin’ look in your eyes, you didn’t even fucking  _ blink. _ You wouldn’t talk, and something felt off about you. I got no idea what happened to you, or how Igneel even found you. Even if the dragons did care about us, there was… there was something else going on.” He sighed. “The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.” 

Wendy held Natsu’s hand in a death grip. “Gajeel… what… what do you  _ mean?” _

He shook his head. “They didn’t just raise us out of the goodness of their hearts. I ain’t sayin’ they didn’t care about us. But something else was going on, too.” 

Wendy bit her lip, trying to keep herself from crying. Did Grandine…. Did the dragons really want to  _ use _ them for something? Had they really had some ulterior motive? 

“We were made into weapons,” Gajeel said. 

Wendy couldn’t hold the tears back anymore. Natsu hung his head.

* * *

The room Lucy woke up in was far nicer than any place she had slept in in a while. It was even fancier than her old room had been when she still lived in the Heartfilia mansion. “What the hell…?” She sat up, pressing a hand to her forehead, trying to figure out how the hell she even got to this place. 

“Ah, you’re awake!” a soft voice said. “Sorry about putting you to sleep in the first place, we just assumed that was the easiest way to get you here.” 

Lucy frowned as she noticed the two women sitting in the chair opposite of the couch she sat on. “Yukino?” she asked. 

Yukino nodded. “Good morning, Lucy! Like Princess Hisui said, sorry about our methods. But… we  _ do _ know how you Fairy Tail mages can be.” 

_ Princess Hisui? _ Lucy narrowed her eyes. “What… What do you want with me?” She had nothing but positive feelings for the royal family, even if her time with Fairy Tail had tainted her view of the council, but she could not understand what they could possibly want  _ her  _ for. 

“We need you and your Zodiac keys to help us defeat Acnologia,” Hisui said. 

“Acnologia?” 

The princess nodded. “The dragon that attacked your guild on Tenrou Island.”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “There’s….” She shook her head. “There’s no way. You can’t kill that thing! It’s  _ impossible!” _ The strongest of Fairy Tail were  _ helpless _ against that dragon! Titania, the She-Devil,  _ four fucking dragon slayers, _ not even  _ that _ had been enough! 

Hisui let out a breath. “I understand why you might think that, but… I believe that this plan has been in the works for hundreds of years. And we cannot let Acnologia do as he pleases anymore. Please. All we need are your Zodiac keys.” She held her hand out. “Help us save Fiore.” 

* * *

_ He didn’t understand it.  _

_ Zeref was the only person that Natsu knew. Zeref took care of him. Zeref was his whole  _ world. __

_ But sometimes…. Sometimes when Natsu looked at him, an overwhelming  _ rage _ came over him. A fire that blazed so hot in his chest, sometimes he worried if he was going to be burned from the inside out.  _

_ He wanted to tear Zeref apart, wanted to light him ablaze. He would flex his fingers, feeling for claws that  _ should _ be there, but just  _ weren’t. __

_ The feelings never lasted long, vanishing after a second or two.  _

_ But Natsu didn’t understand why.  _

_ Why did he want to kill Zeref? _

* * *

Gray nudged Natsu’s shoulder. “Get up, man. We’re finalizing plans.” 

Natsu started awake, jerking up from the table he’d been slumped over. “S-Sorry. I was… tired.” 

Gray hummed. He couldn’t blame Natsu for falling asleep. They’d been up most of the night, trying to figure out what the kingdom’s plan might be (and they’d come up with nothing), as well as how they were going to get Lucy back from the kingdom,  _ and _ still win the Grand Magic Games. 

Not to mention all the draining events of yesterday. 

Gray glanced down at his markings. Why the hell had this happened to all of them? Why were they made to be like this? The slayers and their doomed existence. Gray’s wasn’t much better. How long was it before the dark fate of the Faeries was revealed to Erza? 

Natsu was right. They were defective weapons, just waiting to self destruct. 

But defective weapons for  _ who? _

Mavis appeared next to the Master, sitting down next to him on the bar. “Grand Magic Games team!” She waved. “I’m your strategist! Come with me, and we can discuss your plans for the Games!” 

Natsu yawned, and forced himself up. “C’mon, Gray. We better listen to her.”

He nodded. “I’m coming.” He glanced towards Juvia, sitting a few tables over with Lisanna and Wendy. “Just give me a second.” 

Natsu frowned, but didn’t argue. “Okay…” Then he followed Erza, Gajeel, Laxus, and Mavis. 

Gray walked towards Juvia. He knew she was on the team to rescue Lucy, and though he hadn’t paid attention to the exact plans, it was likely to be dangerous. He leaned down, and muttered, “Be careful,” in her ear. 

Before he could walk away, she grabbed his wrist. “I will,” she said. “Don’t worry about me.” 

He opened his mouth to say something else, but couldn’t think of anything, so as soon as she let go of his wrist, he walked away. 

He hadn’t told Natsu and Erza about what Ultear had told them. How he was doomed to become a monster the second Juvia died. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, or didn’t want them to know. He just… He didn’t know how to tell them that. 

Especially not now, with all of this going on. 

Or… perhaps the worst part of it all. 

He was going to ask them to kill him, if it ever came down to it. He knew they would argue, try to refuse, but he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. 

He didn’t have the energy for a conversation like that right now. 

He didn’t have the energy to ask his best friends to kill him. 

* * *

Lisanna tapped her fingers against the table. She wasn’t quite sure why the Master had asked her to be on the rescue team, but of course she wasn’t going to refuse something like that. 

Cana, Mirajane, Wendy, Juvia, and herself. 

There was no way that the royal family could keep them out of the palace and away from Lucy. 

“We could sneak you in as prisoners,” Mirajane suggested. “Lisanna and I, I mean. We could disguise ourselves as guards.” 

Juvia hummed. “That  _ could _ work. But it might be smarter to just sneak in, that way no one knows we’re there to begin with.” 

Someone banged on the window. “I like the prisoner idea!” 

Lisanna jumped, and jerked away from the window. A woman seemed to be leaning over the edge of the roof, hanging upside down and peering inside. Her wavy pink hair blew in the wind. She knocked on the window again. “Can you  _ please _ let me in?” 

Juvia shook her head. “Me-Meredy!? What are you doing here?” 

“Let me in!” she requested again. 

Juvia jumped up and opened the window, before helping Meredy climb inside. 

“You work with Jellal, don’t you?” Mirajane asked. 

Meredy nodded. “Yep, yep! He and Ultear are busy at the moment, though. Top secret Crime Sorciere business! But I’m here to offer my services!” Her cheerful smile vanished. “We’re none too eager about the royal family continuing their plans.” Then the grin returned. “I have to admit, this is a rather intelligent move for your guild. A double-edged sword.” 

Lisanna frowned, wondering what the hell this woman meant. Of course, she knew all about Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy, and the independent guild they had created, but she still wasn’t quite sure why they were so involved in  _ Fairy Tail’s _ business. 

But they were in no position to turn down someone who wanted to help, odd motivations aside. 

“Alright, welcome to the rescue team, Meredy,” Cana said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters are going to be so fun and action packed! I'm so excited!


	25. Guild of Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Tail battles in the final event of the Grand Magic Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is almost eight thousand words..... I probably could have broken it up into at least two chapters, but idk, I liked it better all as one
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the super long chapter!

Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, depending on who you asked, the First Master’s strategy went to hell pretty quickly. It shocked most of the guild, they had all heard what a great strategist Mavis had been, but Levy couldn’t say that she hadn’t seen this coming. After all, she’d tried to strategize with this guild multiple times now, and it rarely worked. The only time it  _ ever _ did, was if someone managed to round everyone up in the heat of a battle and give them instructions, and to this day, Erza was pretty much the only member actually capable of such a thing. 

Mavis hugged her knees to her chest, lamenting over her failed calculations, swearing up and down that events shouldn’t have unfolded her way. Several members did their best to comfort her, to assure her that it wasn’t her fault, but she refused to listen. 

Members of various guilds were getting taken out left and right, by both Fairy Tail, and the other guilds. The weaker fighters were dropping like  _ flies.  _ It was a good thing, it meant there were less opponents on the field to keep track of, but it also meant that soon their guild would have no choice but to go after the more powerful opponents. 

Levy didn’t doubt that Gray, Erza, Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus could handle them, but it  _ would _ be nice if some of them managed to take each out before  _ they _ had to deal with them. 

At first, Levy had been disappointed that she was expected to just sit in the stands, considering all that was going on. Of course, she didn’t want to be fighting with Erza’s team. It didn’t make sense, and she seriously doubted she could hold her own if she ended up pit against a monster like Minerva, or the Saint Wizard, even the little girl Wendy had previously fought. But she didn’t understand why she hadn’t been sent with Cana to go get Lucy back. Sure, a handful of people had gone with her, and they couldn’t just send the whole guild, but she felt so  _ useless _ just sitting here, waiting for both teams to accomplish what they’d set out to do. 

Was it because of her bad leg? Or because of her less than stellar performance in her fight against Flare? Had they just completely forgotten about her?  _ Why _ hadn’t she been allowed to help? 

She sighed, and turned her attention back to the battle. It wasn’t like anything could be done about it now, unless she wanted to try and catch up to Cana’s team and throw a wrench in things for them by showing up unannounced. 

“Oh no, I hope he goes easy on her,” she said as she realized Natsu had run into Chelia Blendy. 

Beside her, Happy scoffed. “He won’t go easy on her,” he said. “He doesn’t do that. But he’s not going to really hurt a little girl like that either.” 

Natsu wasn’t the only one who had run into a more difficult opponent. Gray had just stumbled across Rufus from Sabertooth, and Kagura had just attacked Erza.

Levy held her breath. 

These weren’t going to be easy fights. 

* * *

Erza scolded herself for not sensing her attacker sooner. 

Then again, Kagura was obviously skilled, and had taken precautions to mask her presence. She still had yet to draw her sword, masking her magical abilities, and she’d come at Erza downwind, so she’d obviously cautioned a guess about her heightened senses. That, or Milliana had told her about them. 

Kagura slammed her sheathed sword into Erza’s stomach, leaving her to fly backwards, wheezing.  _ Damn, _ the woman was strong! 

“Stand up, Erza Scarlet,” Kagura commanded as she held her sword out. “I respect you as a fellow swordsman, so I want this to be an honorable fight.” 

Erza bared her teeth as she got up, before requipping into her black wing armor. She wanted to respect Kagura as well, and she  _ did, _ regarding her sword technique, but she couldn’t truly admire the woman. Not with her after Jellal. 

Not to mention… Mavis had said if she followed her instructions, she would end up fighting  _ Minerva, _ not Kagura. 

Well, there was nothing to be done about that now. 

Kagura rushed forward, still not bothering to unsheathe her sword. Personally, Erza found that offensive,  _ especially _ after Kagura’s declaration of respect. If she  _ truly _ respected Erza enough to give her her all during a fight, she would have the decency to  _ unsheathe her fucking weapon!  _

Erza blocked the strike with her own blade. The weapons clattered against each other as Erza shoved, forcing Kagura to slide back several steps. “Why won’t you unsheathe your sword?” she asked. 

Kagura scoffed, before bounding backwards, breaking the stalemate, but she didn’t answer. 

Erza narrowed her eyes. It’d been a long time since she fought such a silent opponent. It was odd, not trading insults during a one on one fight like this. With a battle cry, she sprang forward, sword pulled back for a powerful strike. 

Kagura parried, leaving them to trade blows back and forth, nimbly dodging and blocking the other’s attacks. It was  _ infuriatingly _ evenly matched. 

Getting annoyed by the lack of progress, Erza shouted, swinging her sword wildly. Kagura grunted, and stumbled back beneath the force of the blow, her sword beginning to shake as Erza shoved hard against her. 

She was  _ going _ to land a decent hit, dammit! She was going to make Kagura  _ talk!  _

Kagura’s eyes widened as she slid backwards, and Erza couldn’t help but smirk in satisfaction.  _ Finally, _ some form of emotion from the stoic woman! 

A foreign magic exploded over them, and Erza startled, not expecting a new type of power. The air shimmered, just for a second, and Minerva appeared between them, grabbing each of them and shoving them apart. 

Erza stumbled backwards. “What the hell…?” 

Minerva smiled, an unsettling thing that sent tingles down Erza’s spine. “My, my. You two certainly are formidable.” 

Images of Wendy’s limp, bloody body flashed through Erza’s mind. With a cry of rage, she swung her sword, completely ready to cleave Minerva in half if she wasn’t quick enough to dodge. 

But she disappeared, and Erza stumbled with the weight of her swing, not expecting to hit  _ nothing. _

Minerva appeared a few feet away, and clicked her tongue. “I’m not stupid enough to fight the both of you at once, as you would obviously team up to get rid of me, rather than go for each other.” 

Erza glanced over to see Kagura’s grip on her sword tighten, and she glared at the woman much more intensely than she had at Erza. It seemed she wasn’t fond of the Sabertooth mage either. 

“So.” Minerva’s smooth gaze drifted between the two of them. “I want you to fight each other.” She held her hand to her chest. “And then I will fight the victor.” 

Erza snarled. “Why the  _ hell _ would we do that?” She might not be overly fond of Kagura, but she liked her a hell of a lot more than Minerva. 

“Because I have something of yours,  _ Kagura.” _ Minerva’s unsettling smile widened as she snapped her fingers. “And Erza, I know you won’t just let something like this slide.” 

Milliana appeared, surrounded by waves of Minerva’s magic, limp and shivering. Her eyes lit up as she caught sight of them. “Kagu—”

Minerva snapped again, and she vanished. 

“Give her back!” Kagura shouted, leaping forward to beat Minerva with her sword. 

The Sabertooth mage leaped back, avoiding the blow with ease. “Ah, ah, ah. Like I said, defeat Erza, and then you can have her back.” Her smile twisted into a snarl as she glared at Erza. “And while you’re at it, why don’t you ask her about her  _ real _ connection to Jellal?” 

Erza’s eyes widened. Did Minerva… No, there was no way!  _ How _ could she possibly know about her relationship with Jellal? 

Kagura turned her furious glare back to Erza. “What the hell does she mean, Scarlet?” 

Erza tightened her grip on her sword. She intended to defeat Kagura anyways, and though this had become much messier than it needed to be, her goal hadn’t changed. First she would handle Kagura, and then she would get to put Minerva in her goddamn place! 

Minerva blew them a kiss. “Have fun, ladies.” 

She vanished. 

* * *

Gray felt the magic, and recognized it as the Sabertooth mage’s from the first day, long before he actually saw Rufus. He pretended he didn’t notice it as he walked into that library, but truth be told, as soon as he sensed that peculiar brand of make magic, he couldn’t resist. Unlike the rest of his teammates, he hadn’t had the chance to redeem himself after the disastrous event of the first day, and he’d be damned if he let someone else get to Rufus before he did. 

It seemed that Rufus was waiting for him, too. As soon as he caught sight of Gray, he snapped his book shut. “Gray Fullbuster. Lady Minerva went through the trouble of compiling some information on you and the rest of your team. And while they were all interesting, I think you are by far the most. I’ve no memory of anything at all similar to you.” 

Gray curled his fingers into fists, wondering what the hell that even  _ meant. _ How did Minerva get  _ information _ on them? Let alone information that wasn’t public, which was what it sounded like? 

Rufus leaned over the balcony he stood on. “Just what the hell are you?” 

Gray grimaced. “None of your damn business.” He wasn’t here to talk, let alone discuss the fact that he was a demon descendent. “Ice make: lance!” 

Rufus didn’t react at all. He merely flicked his fingers, and the attack vanished before it could hit him. “Come on, you should know that won’t work on me. My memory make magic is far superior to your own. Actually…” He grinned, and before Gray even realized what was happening, an identical attack was launched towards him. 

He yelped, and just barely managed to dodge the barrage of ice. After that, it didn’t take him long to figure out how Rufus’s magic actually worked. Make magic,  _ memory _ make magic. If ice make magic was the ability to make anything out of ice, then it made sense that memory make magic was the ability to make anything out of a memory. 

Rufus could remake  _ anything he remembered. _ Any magical technique at all. 

As infuriating as it was, Gray could admit that  _ might _ be superior to his own abilities. 

He tried attack after attack, coming up with every obscure technique he could think of, but Rufus was able to dodge and nullify anything Gray managed to throw at him. Not only that, just to be annoying, Rufus only retaliated with Gray’s own attacks. Why was Sabertooth full of such  _ pricks!?  _

“Come on.” Rufus bounded down from the balcony, landing delicately a few paces away from Gray. “The rest of your team is rather good. Did I seriously get stuck with the  _ defective _ one?” He scoffed. 

Gray snarled. “Fuck off.” But his chest was heaving, he’d wasted a lot of his magic in a fit of rage and annoyance. He shouldn’t have tried attacking so many times without a strategy, not when he  _ knew _ it wouldn’t work. 

“No, really.” Rufus leaned forward. “There’s Titania, and three  _ dragon slayers. _ And then  _ you.” _ He shrugged. “I just don’t understand why you’re here. Not when your guild has another slayer, that feisty little script mage,  _ takeover _ mages, the woman with that odd  _ Fairy Glitter _ spell. Why are  _ you _ here?” 

Caring nothing for how useless of an endeavor it was, Gray sent another wave of ice careening towards Rufus. 

The man merely laughed as he forced it to vanish. “A useless struggle, Fullbuster.” 

Gray grit his teeth. He knew his magic was simple, and he’d run into issues because of that before. But he’d always found a way to get past that, a way to twist his ice into something else, something far more formidable. 

But he couldn’t do anything like this. Not against an opponent that could copy his every move. Not to mention that Rufus was just  _ toying _ with him. It was obvious. He hadn’t used the technique he had during the first event, or any of the other spells that he  _ had _ to have memorized. He was humiliating Gray, before he finished him off, just because he could. 

Gray let out a breath, frost floating through the air with it. Was he seriously going to fail his guild  _ again? _ They had all fought so hard to keep them in the Games, to get their team in the  _ lead. _ Levy, Mirajane, Wendy, Cana, Gajeel, Natsu, Erza, Laxus, Juvia. They’d all fought  _ so hard.  _ And all he had done was  _ let them down. _

Just like he was going to do now. 

Rufus was right. Why the hell was he even here? What good was he? He’d never been as good as Natsu and Erza, even if he didn’t want to admit it. But now, it was made abundantly clear, when he couldn’t rely on them in this fight. And even more recently, he’d started relying on Juvia as a crutch, too. 

Rufus raised his palm, magic beginning to build for an attack. “Well, Fullbuster, I can’t say it was a pleasure. Here’s to hoping the rest of your team puts up a better fight.” 

Something exploded in Gray’s chest, a type of power he didn’t understand. Purple-tinted ice crunched on his fingertips, before spreading across his hands and up his arms. His veins felt like they were full of ice. It wasn’t  _ cold, _ he didn’t  _ get _ cold, but this was different from his regular power. He cried out, overwhelmed by the strange, powerful magic he felt building within him. He threw his hands out, nearly panicking as the magic  _ exploded!  _

Rufus yelped, and bounded backwards, just  _ barely _ avoiding the wave of purplish ice barreling towards him. 

Gray stumbled backwards, clawing at his chest as the power continued to build and build and  _ build. _ His breathing sped up, each breath out dispelling more frost, giving him the appearance of breathing  _ smoke. _

“What the hell is that!?” Rufus demanded. “I’ve no memory of any magic like that!” 

Gray panicked and threw his hand out again, and more of that ice careened towards Rufus. 

This wasn’t his magic! This wasn’t his  _ ice! _ He wasn’t in his stance, he wasn’t using any spells, the ice was just  _ appearing, _ and yet… it was definitely coming from  _ him! _ This wasn’t his Second Origin, this was something  _ else. _

Rufus tried to cancel out the attack, but it didn’t work. Not even his  _ memory magic _ was effective against whatever the hell this was! His eyes widened, as he stepped back a pace, confusion and fear evident in his expression. “What the hell…?”

The coldness in his chest spread, creeping up his throat. He coughed, grabbing at his throat, desperately wanting whatever this was to  _ stop. _ He opened his mouth to scream in frustration, and maybe even a little fear. 

The ice in his chest, in his  _ lungs, _ forced itself out with his cry. A whirlwind of magic and cold and ice, so powerful and quick Rufus couldn’t hope to dodge. 

The Sabertooth mage collapsed beneath the weight of the attack. The ice buried him, leaving him limp among the chunks and spikes of it. 

Gray fell to his knees and clapped his hands over his mouth, his eyes widening. 

The cold feeling in his chest finally began to fade away, leaving him feeling  _ normal _ again, thank god. 

_ That… that was a breath attack…  _ That was a  _ slayer _ technique. He realized that was why the magic had felt so foreign to him. It wasn’t  _ make _ magic, it was  _ slayer _ magic. Now that he was thinking about it, the way it was released reminded him of Natsu’s. 

But that didn’t make sense! He wasn’t a  _ slayer! _ He’d never learned magic like that! He had no idea how it even  _ worked! _

He shook his head, and forced himself back up. He couldn’t dwell on it right now. Not in the middle of this competition. 

He could talk to Natsu and Erza after this was over. He could tell them what Ultear told him, and ask for help in figuring out what the hell that had been. 

* * *

At first, Natsu had felt bad about trying to hurt Chelia. 

Not because she was a little girl. Why would he care about that? She’d signed up for this competition, so she was fair game. No, he felt bad because this was Wendy’s  _ crush. _ What if he freaked her out? Well, more than he had when Chelia had been healing Wendy, anyways. What if she thought he was mean, and decided she didn’t want anything to do with Wendy because of him? 

But then she kicked him upside the head and left the world spinning and he decided that this girl was going to kick his ass if he didn’t take this seriously. Besides, if she was going to be spending time with Wendy, it was important she could hold her own,  _ and _ got used to dragon slayers. 

He shook his head, narrowing his eyes as the world came back into focus, just in time to see Chelia’s fist coming for him. He grabbed her wrist, and flung her over his shoulder, launching her into the wall of a nearby building. 

She cried out as the brick splintered around her and she fell to the ground. “No wonder Wendy is such a good fighter…” she wheezed as she stood back up. “If she grew up with you.” 

Natsu grinned. “Yeah, she’s pretty great, ain’t she?” 

A blast of Chelia’s magic shot towards him in reply, shoving him backwards. It wasn’t an especially powerful attack, but it distracted him for long enough to let the girl heal herself. 

Natsu sent a blaze of fire towards her, but she smothered it out with her air magic. He hissed. That was a technique Wendy used against him pretty often when they sparred. Damn air magic and all its weird uses. It was air! Why did it have to be so  _ powerful?  _

Chelia rushed towards him, trying to land another kick. 

Natsu caught her ankle, but rather than throwing her this time, he forced her to the ground, pinning her. “Sorry,” he said. “But you’re a bit small.” She was so light, she was easy to force down and throw around. 

Chelia smiled at him, before jerking her leg free and kneeing him in the gut. 

Natsu coughed as the breath was knocked out of him, but he still didn’t let go of her, and made sure to put more weight down on her legs. 

She squirmed and writhed, even attempted a breath attack before Natsu realized what she was doing and slammed his hand over her mouth. She certainly didn’t give up easily. He supposed he could hit her hard enough in the head that it knocked her out, but that seemed really unnecessary. 

A chunk of ice slammed into him, knocking him away from Chelia. Instinctively, Natsu whipped around to yell at Gray, the only ice user he knew, but it wasn’t Gray standing at the end of the street. 

Chelia sighed in relief as she got back to her feet. “It’s about time, Lyon!” 

* * *

Mavis fiddled with the hem of her dress, but she didn’t dare to take her eyes off of the battles. Her strategy had gone  _ so wrong, _ and yet… her guild was still managing to hold their own, even against such difficult opponents. Gray had managed to take out the Sabertooth member, and was very close to Natsu, who he could then help handle the two Lamia Scale members. 

Erza and Kagura’s fight still raged, only egged on by Minerva’s appearance, but Mavis doubted that Erza would let herself loose. 

Gajeel had just run into one of the Sabertooth dragon slayers.  _ Rogue. _ Though she was a little concerned about him holding back given their history, the previous tag team battle didn’t leave her worrying. Natsu had defeated both Sting and Rogue by himself, so surely Gajeel could handle just Rogue without a problem. 

Right now, she was most concerned with Laxus, who had just been challenged by Jura.  _ That _ was the only fight she didn’t think her team could win. Saint wizards were on a whole different level. In her original strategy, her calculations had suggested that Jura would be dealt with by various Sabertooth members, but that was no longer an option. 

She tried to have faith in Laxus, but she wasn’t so sure that this was a fight he could win. 

* * *

“What do you know about Jellal!?” Kagura screamed as she swung her sword. 

Erza grunted as she parried the block. “Now is not the time, Kagura!” she exclaimed. “If you really want to speak to me about Jellal, I will talk to you and Milliana both after this battle!” 

Kagura screamed in frustration as she pulled back, furious with Erza for dodging the question. 

She had looked up to Erza for as long as she could remember. Even back when the world had believed the requip mage to be dead, if anyone asked who Kagura’s inspiration or hero was, she always replied, “Erza Scarlet,” without missing a beat. 

At first, she’d been thrilled to cross blades with her idol. It was a dream come true! Erza had inspired so much of her fighting technique and her respect for the blade. But now… it broke her heart! 

Why would Erza be connected to Jellal? Why would Erza keep information about Jellal  _ from _ Kagura? Milliana had told her what happened at the Tower of Heaven, about everything Jellal did to Erza… Why would she  _ protect _ him? Why would she have anything to do with him? 

_ Why did she have the same marking on her face as him?  _ What did it  _ mean!?  _

“He killed my brother!” Kagura screamed. “I won’t forgive him for that! He deserves to suffer!” 

“Kagura…” Erza said, her voice irritatingly soft for the situation. 

_ “NO!”  _ she screamed, slamming her sword against Erza’s. “Tell me!!” 

She wanted Jellal’s head on a pike! She wanted Minerva beaten to a pulp at her feet! She wanted  _ Milliana back!  _

“It wasn’t his fault!” Erza shouted as she summoned another blade. “None of it was Jellal’s fault!” 

Kagura rolled, narrowly avoiding Erza’s swing. “Then who killed my brother!?” She didn’t care that she was feeding into exactly what Minerva wanted. She just wanted the truth! Justice! Was that too much to ask!? 

“It was my fault!” Erza screamed. 

Kagura froze, mid swing. 

Erza stood before her, both her swords shaking in her grip. Tears dripped from her golden eye. “My fault…” she whispered. “It was all  _ my fault!”  _

“H-How?” Kagura breathed, her eyes widening. “How could it be your fault?” It was  _ Jellal’s! _ It had to be! If it wasn’t…. Everything she had ever believed… was a  _ lie. _ Her entire existence… No, Erza had to be lying! 

But those weren’t the eyes of a liar. 

“He was trying to save me,” she said, bowing her head. “He wanted to save me. And he sacrificed himself. Jellal was possessed, because I didn’t die fast enough in that room. Simon, Milliana, they all suffered because  _ I didn’t come back fast enough! _ The Tower of Heaven is  _ all my fault!”  _

The world froze. Kagura could hear her heartbeat thundering. Her fingers gripped Archenemy so tightly they  _ ached. _

Somewhere in her head, the  _ rational _ part, knew that what Erza said wasn’t true. Oh, she might believe the words coming out of her mouth, but they were the words of someone lying to herself, blaming herself for things far out of her control. 

But in that moment, Kagura didn’t care. 

Though she was breaking her own promise to herself, sullying her blade before it feasted on its true target's blood, she drew Archenemy from its sheath. 

Magic power  _ exploded. _ It raced through the town, filled the air, thickening it until it was  _ smothering.  _ You could almost  _ see _ the magic in the air. 

Erza’s eyes widened as Kagura  _ screamed.  _ “Give me back my brother!” 

She swung her sword. 

* * *

Rogue panted as he scrabbled at Gajeel’s arms. Why the hell was his brother so  _ strong? _ What was so different about him? Why couldn’t he hope to stand a chance against him? 

“Stay down, Rogue,” Gajeel said. “Unlike you, I don’t get my kicks out’a hurtin’ family members.” 

Rogue hissed, and melted into a shadow, leaving Gajeel to snarl in frustration as he lost his grip on him. “I’m not going to lose to you!” he shouted, as he slashed a mass of shadows across his brother. 

He wouldn’t lose. Not when Sting had lost so much and given into Minerva like that. Not when Minerva had commanded him to win. Not when Skiadrum told him to kill him, before telling him to eradicate any dragon he came across. 

He wasn’t  _ allowed _ to lose! 

Gajeel grunted in pain as the attack landed, but it did little to phase him. “Why not, Rogue?” He grinned, a feral expression that hadn’t changed at all since they were kids. “You used to loose to me all the time.” He drove his iron fist into Rogue’s jaw. 

The bone  _ cracked, _ and Rogue  _ screamed.  _ He felt a tooth pop loose. 

Gajeel shoved him down, before planting his foot down on Rogue’s chest, putting enough weight on it that the breath was forced out of him. “Don’t even think about usin’ that fucking shadow trick of yers, or else I’ll do a lot more than bust yer jaw up.” He bared his teeth. “Now come on, Rogue. I want the fucking truth. The hell happened to you and Sting?” 

Rogue went limp. He may not be as in touch with his dragon instincts anymore, having given up on them and shut them away a long time ago. But even now, they still whispered to him, told him that no matter what he did, this wasn’t a dragon he could win against. “I’m supposed to kill dragons…” he muttered, forcing his jaw to work through the pain. “I’m a dragon slayer… I can’t let dragons go…” 

Gajeel frowned, but seemed to accept the answer. “And Sabertooth?” 

“They wanted weapons. Lady Minerva… she wanted weapons, and she said she would help me,” he said. “Help me keep Sting safe, help me keep Frosch safe. I just… I just had to help her.” He laid his head back, unable to look his brother in the eye. “I…” He was what? “I’m sorry…” he finally decided. He didn’t want to hurt Gajeel and Natsu, not really, and he  _ definitely _ didn’t want to hurt Wendy. “I’m sorry.” 

Tears pricked at his eyes, and he told himself it was because of his fucked up jaw and the pain he was in because of it. Not because… Not because Gajeel wasn’t looking so angry anymore. He looked  _ sad.  _

“Fucking idiot,” Gajeel muttered as he took his foot off Rogue’s chest. “Stay here. We’ll talk after this mess is over.” 

Rogue managed to nod, content to lay in that exact spot until this  _ nightmare _ was over. 

_ You’re just going to let him go? _ a voice whispered in Rogue’s ear. A  _ familiar _ voice. 

He stiffened. “Who’s there?” he demanded. 

Gajeel turned back around, and raised an eyebrow. “The hell are you talking about?” 

Something dark spread through his mind, and everything began to fade. Rogue jerked up, clutching at his head,  _ terrified _ by his darkening thoughts. 

“Hey, Rogue?” Gajeel leaned down, concern evident in his features. “The hell’s wrong with you?” 

_ Give in to me, Rogue, _ the voice urged.  _ I can make it so much easier.  _

Rogue’s eyes widened. “Get back,” he warned. 

“Huh?” 

_ “Get back!”  _ he screamed. 

Why now? Of all times? 

He’d read all he could about shadow magic, he knew how dangerous it could be, how it could take you over, twist you. 

_ “GET AWAY FROM ME!”  _

* * *

Chelia told herself that she wasn’t scared of the Fairy Tail members. Wendy was from Fairy Tail, and she seemed amazing! Actually, Chelia really wanted to be friends with her. The other members…. Well… She’d heard the stories, read some of the reports, and felt their terrifying anger and power after Wendy had been hurt by Minerva. But she told herself she wasn’t scared. They were  _ good _ people, she knew that. Even if they could be a little… weird, and intense. Even while she fought Natsu, and he was doing his damndest to take her out, she didn’t think she was scared of him. 

But she realized that he hadn’t been taking the fight against her seriously. Not really. And honestly, she should have noticed that. The way he fought against her, and the way he fought against the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth had been completely different. 

As she stood next to Lyon, watching Gray and Natsu approach them, fire and ice swirling around them, she decided she  _ might _ be a little scared of them. 

Because they were having  _ fun _ right now. They were smiling, and teasing each other, and they were going to tear Chelia and Lyon apart. 

Chelia decided that Fairy Tail having fun, was a hell of a lot scarier than  _ angry _ Fairy Tail. At least angry Fairy Tail made sense, and weren’t targeting her. 

“Lyon?” she asked. 

“Come on,” Lyon said. “It’s just Gray and Natsu. They’re both idiots. We can handle them.” 

“Who the hell are you calling an idiot?” Gray demanded. “You’re the stupid one out of the two of us!” 

Chelia sighed and shook her head. She still couldn’t quite believe that Gray and Lyon were brothers, but well… seeing them act like this together, it made a lot more sense. 

But she didn’t think that Lyon was taking this seriously enough. 

“Natsu?” Gray said. 

The dragon slayer grinned, showing off his freaky teeth. The same freaky teeth that Wendy had, Chelia remembered. She shuddered. That girl was every bit the dragon that this man was, and she needed to remember that. 

That was all the communication the pair needed before they attacked, hitting Chelia and Lyon with more force and magic than they could have ever expected. 

Chelia managed to dodge the first few hits from the pair, but it wasn’t long before she fell victim to the fire, and the ice, and the punches. 

Lamia Scale was good at teamwork, the Master encouraged they work together often, so Chelia thought that her and Lyon fought relatively well together. However, they were  _ nothing _ when compared to the synchronicity of Natsu and Gray. They moved like they’d been fighting together their whole lives, never getting in the other's way, using attacks that complimented the other's perfectly. Had Chelia not been on the receiving end of the brutal attack, she might have admired its beauty, not to mention the skill and trust it took to reach that level of teamwork. 

Lyon let out a pained gasp as Natsu and Gray landed simultaneous hits on him, before collapsing. And he wasn’t going to get back up. 

Chelia squeaked as the pair turned their full attention to her. 

“Come on, man,” Gray said. “I’m not going to hit a little girl.” 

Natsu snorted. “Whatever.” He stepped forward, fire blazing over his fist. “I’ll do it!” 

“Natsu!” Gray exclaimed. 

Chelia tried to hit them with an attack while they were distracted with their argument, but they both dodged it with ease. 

Damn, she really should have tried harder to take Natsu out of commission when it had just been him by himself. He was a lot more focused now that Gray was here, ironically. 

“Oh, whatever.” Gray shifted into his ice-make stance. “Let’s just get this over with.” He smiled at Chelia. “Sorry, kid.” 

Her eyes widened as the mass and fire and ice raged towards her, before everything went dark. 

* * *

Erza felt her sword begin to crack and splinter beneath the power of Kagura’s blade, but she refused to pull back. She  _ wasn’t _ going to let Kagura win, even  _ if _ she was Simon’s little sister. 

With little else to do, she forced her Faerie powers to activate, and her sword was wreathed in golden light. “I’m sorry, Kagura, but I can’t lose to you,” she said. Not with everything at stake. Her guild  _ needed _ this. “I promise, if you wish to discuss Jellal later, I will.” She forced her power to expand, and Kagura was blown backwards, crashing through pillars, weakening the already damaged architecture even more. 

The Mermaid Heel wizard coughed and wheezed as she forced herself up. “What the hell kind of power is that?” she demanded quietly. 

Erza wished she had the answer. She wondered if she ever would. 

The ceiling above Kagura cracked. 

Erza’s eyes widened, and before she even realized she was moving, she leapt forward, shoving Kagura out of the way, just in time for the building to finish collapsing on top of her. She screamed through clenched teeth as the rubble landed on her,  _ definitely _ fucking up the bones in her legs and shoulders, possibly even  _ breaking _ some of them. 

But she’d been through worse pain, so she pushed her way out of the debris, already re-summoning her sword. 

She sat up, only to be greeted by Kagura’s sword against her throat. “Why?” she demanded. 

Erza frowned, confused by the question. Why, what? Why did she protect Jellal? Why did she keep fighting? Why had she shoved Kagura out of the way? 

She didn’t answer. 

_ “Why?” _ Kagura repeated, as her hands began to shake. “Why did this happen to me? Why did Simon have to die? Why would you let yourself get hurt for  _ me? _ What have I ever done for you?” 

Erza raised her chin. “If you’re going to cut me, cut me. If not, get your sword away from me.” 

Kagura’s grip on the weapon tightened. “You’re Fairy Tail’s leader. If I cut you down, we get five points.” Her hands shook harder. “So why can’t I…. I can’t…” The sword fell from her grasp, clattering against the ground as she fell to her knees. “I’m sorry…” 

Erza reached out, laying a hand on Kagura’s shoulder. “I could never let something bad happen to Simon’s sister if I could stop it,” she said. “It’s the least I could do.” 

A sob worked its way out of Kagura’s throat. “I—” 

Kagura’s fallen blade was shoved through her abdomen, and she gasped, blood beginning to trickle from the corners of her mouth. “What…?” 

Minerva cackled as she shoved the blade in deeper. “Only a fool who wants to loose lays down their weapons during a battle.” She kicked Kagura over, leaving her to gasp and scrabble at the sword sticking out of her gut. “I was hoping you would be my opponent, Erza,” Minerva continued. “And thank you for giving my guild these five points.” 

“You bitch,” Erza hissed as she forced herself to her feet. Minerva really didn’t know what was good for her, did she? 

“Milliana,” Kagura wheezed. “What about Milliana?” 

“Oh?” Minerva waved her hand, and Milliana dropped onto the ground next to Kagura. “There you go. One less useless cat for me to keep track of.” 

Milliana didn’t move at all, and blood trickled from various little cuts all over her body. 

“The hell did you do?” Erza demanded through bared teeth. 

Minerva scoffed. “Oh, nothing  _ too _ bad. Just enough to keep myself entertained.” 

Rage uncoiled in Erza’s chest. Rage for Wendy. Rage for Milliana. Rage for Kagura. Rage for everyone else Minerva had hurt because she thought it was  _ fun. _ She summoned her sword. “Minerva…” 

Minerva smirked. 

Erza held her sword out. “Die.” 

* * *

Laxus had fought some hard battles in his life. Various wizards and monsters on quests, Hades, his father, hell, even Natsu and Gajeel had been difficult to handle, though he would never admit it to a single living soul. 

And somehow, not a single one of them could compare to Jura. 

Not even able to trust the very ground he stood on, Laxus had truly never seen another power like it. He’d known the man must be powerful, title of Saint wizard aside, the way he had handled Freed like it was  _ nothing _ really said something. Freed was one of the best fighters that Laxus knew. If someone could defeat him that easily, they must be insanely powerful. 

“I admit, you’re not quite what I expected from the grandson of Makarov,” Jura said as he dodged another round of lightning, before causing the earth itself to rumble again. 

Laxus stumbled, but caught himself, determined not to be thrown off by the shifting ground. “And you’re exactly what I expected from a Saint wizard.” 

Jura seemed to find that amusing. “Oh?” he chuckled. The ground surged, pillars of earth and rock shooting up from the ground. Laxus just barely managed to dodge. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Predictable.” 

Laxus didn’t like titles. He knew that most people called him S-Class, he was definitely of that strength level, but he himself didn’t claim the label. He never would, just like he would never claim the label of Saint wizard, even if he ever was that powerful. 

Because once you claimed that title, let it become such an important part of you, it’s all you know. 

Erza and Mirajane were two of the best fighters he knew, but even they relied too much on their “S-Class abilities.” In Laxus’s mind, it was a hindrance, a type of mental block when fighting. 

So caught up in the technique of it all, the flashy moves and spells, forgetting that what really mattered was  _ winning, _ not how you did it. 

A messy attack, thrown out with as much power as you could muster, was better than the most polished-over techniques that could earn you a fancy title. 

Laxus had never learned to reign in his lightning. It made it too predictable, weaker, too specific and ineffective. 

Jura wasn’t ready for his wild rage of lightning, especially not after Sabertooth’s god slayer, that had been  _ so precise _ with his own. 

Laxus released a mass of lightning, letting it rage down the entire street, electrocuting anything unlucky enough to get in its way. 

So much lightning, that Jura could never hope to dodge it all, even with the earth answering his beck and call. 

Laxus wasn’t going to lose to the Saint wizard today. 

* * *

Minerva had spent the last day finding out as much information about Fairy Tail as she could. It wasn’t hard. The council kept tabs on them constantly, and it was easy to get information from them if you knew how to push it. Not to mention, they were practically celebrities. You could find all kinds of fun things about them if you dug down deep enough. After all, so many different people were paying attention to them. 

Minerva thought it might help to get that information, thought if they could attack the right weak spots, make them angry enough, they would slip up, make mistakes. 

She was wrong. 

So very,  _ very _ wrong. 

_ No one’s ever survived pissing us off before, and I doubt you’ll fare any better.  _

Minerva had never been one to heed a warning, but god did she ever wish she had listened to that one. 

The magic power she felt from Erza was  _ crushing, _ so thick that Minerva thought she might  _ suffocate. _ Her sword blazed with a light so bright it was  _ blinding, _ and her crushed armor had been replaced with a shining, new set, every bit as menacing as the last. 

What had she done? Why had she thought it was a good idea to piss these people off? 

She’d called them  _ monsters. _ But she hadn’t realized she was being literal. She’d listened to commentators, heard them recount every victory Fairy Tail had over the other competitors, their brutal fighting style and wild magic that just couldn’t be matched. 

Erza aimed her sword towards Minerva. “You never should have hurt them,” she snarled around too pointy teeth. 

“No,” Minerva whimpered. This didn’t make sense. Sabertooth was the strongest.  _ Minerva _ was the strongest!  _ This wasn’t right! _ “Please, no…”  _ Don’t take this away from me. I can’t be weak. I can’t be, I can’t be, I can’t be.  _

Erza rushed forward, and sank her sword into Minerva’s chest. 

Minerva screeched. 

Erza leaned down to whisper in her ear, “That’s for Wendy.” 

* * *

Gajeel sensed there was something wrong with his brother immediately. His magic was running rampant, in a way that only shadow magic could. 

The thing that he was fighting, it  _ wasn’t _ Rogue. It was his dark magic, given too much power. 

“Snap out of it, Rogue!” he snarled as he tried to claw at him, only to get a handful of more shadow. “Y’er better than this!” 

Shadows wreathed around his brother, masking his features, twisting them into something  _ other. _ “I’m not Rogue,” the thing said. 

Gajeel nearly snorted. “Yeah, no way in hell you are!” And just when he’d finally been getting through to him, too!  _ Dammit!  _ He’d thought this was over! He was tired of beating his brother to a pulp, but he’d do it again if he really had to. 

He vanished, becoming shadow once again, popping up to land another attack, before becoming intangible. Again, and again, and again, and  _ again. _

Gajeel bit back a snarl. He couldn’t fucking hit him when he was a goddamn shadow like that! It was a fucking infuriating power. 

His fist slammed into the wall where the shadow had just been, cracking the stone. “Son of a bitch!” he shouted. 

The shadows cackled. “You can’t beat me. You can’t win against a  _ shadow.” _

_ A shadow…  _

“Oh, this is a real fuckin’ bad idea…” Gajeel muttered, but he was running out of options. 

He knew dragon slayers could eat other elements if they really needed to. Metalicana had told him that, even though he warned him the drawbacks usually weren’t worth it. He knew Natsu had consumed Laxus’s power that one time. So in theory…. 

In theory, he could take Rogue’s. 

Before he could think too much about it, he ate Rogue’s magic, doing his best to ignore the bitter taste of the shadows. 

It was a strange feeling, foreign magic coursing through him, but he couldn’t say he didn’t like it. It was  _ powerful. _ It felt  _ good.  _

The shadow controlling Rogue moved to attack him again, and Gajeel shoved his hand into the dark mass, tearing at the shadow’s insides with his claws. 

The thing shrieked, and Gajeel laughed, before melting into a shadow himself, relishing in the strange feeling of it. He could see why Rogue liked this power so much, why he used it so often. 

The shadow twisted around him, clawing and shredding and hitting, but it was easier to retaliate now. Gajeel grabbed the thing, before forcing it out of the shadow. As interesting as being a shadow was, he was still more used to a physical form, and he didn’t want to accidentally hurt Rogue too badly while in that form. 

The shadow squirmed beneath him, trying to return to that intangible form, but Gajeel wouldn’t let it. “Get out of my brother,” he snarled, baring his teeth. 

The thing laughed, using Rogue’s voice, twisting it. It didn’t even  _ sound _ like his brother. “No.” 

Gajeel lifted him up and slammed him into the ground. “I said,  _ get out!”  _

The thing gasped. 

Gajeel grimaced, realizing he was probably going to have to knock him out if he was going to accomplish anything. So he picked him up, and flung him against the wall, watching as the structure crumbled down on top of him. 

“Sorry, Rogue,” Gajeel said. “Seemed like I was gettin’ through to you for a minute there.” Not that it really mattered now. 

The shadow stirred, rubble cascading off its body as it got back up. “You’re gonna have to do better than tha—” it began. 

Gajeel aimed a breath attack at it, a mixture of iron and shadow, a whirlwind of magic. 

The shadow screeched, its unearthly voice melting back into Rogue’s before dying away with the last of the magic, leaving Rogue’s limp body behind. 

Gajeel stepped over, and kneeled down next to him. “I promise, we’re gonna get this mess sorted out.” 

* * *

Even though she had grown up with most of the members, been around them pretty much her whole life, Levy never understood why some people called them  _ monsters.  _

Sure, they could be scary sometimes, especially when they got mad, or got really into a fight. But they were never _ monsters. _

Then she saw Gray bury a man in ice. Then she saw Natsu attack a little girl without a moment’s hesitation. Then she saw Laxus destroy a Saint wizard. Then she saw Erza smile as she stabbed Minerva through the chest. Then she saw Gajeel become a shadow and claw his little brother to pieces. 

She swallowed thickly, wondering how she had been so blind to these things over the years. Had she just happened to miss other moments like these, or had she been ignoring them, desperately trying to pretend that the people she’d grown up with weren’t  _ terrifying _ under the right circumstances? 

Now she understood why these members of the guild were the ones that were always chosen, were on the front lines of everything. 

Levy never would have been able to do any of those things. And that wasn’t a bad thing. She just wasn’t meant for that kind of thing. 

But _they_ would do whatever it took to win for Fairy Tail. 

Levy cheered along with the rest of the crowd. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day of spring break! Also my university moved classes online because of the fucking Coronavirus I'm so mad, cuz now I'm stuck at home for god knows how long. 
> 
> But, on the bright side, thanks to spring break, and not having to actually /go/ to classes, I'll have more time for writing, so maybe I can update a little quicker!
> 
> Next chapter is what the rescue team has been up to!


	26. Girls' Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirajane's team breaks into the palace to rescue Lucy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School is online for the rest of the semester hahahahaha I'm dying

“Oh, this is so fun!” Meredy squealed, clapping her hands together with a jingle of chains. “I’ve never really got to go out with just a group of girls before! Can we go get drinks later?” She nodded. “We should go get drinks! Wendy, you’re underage, you can have soda, or something. Oh, oh, oh! Can we get new outfits and everything? Jellal and Ultear  _ never _ want to go shopping, and it’s so—”

“Meredy, if you do not shut your fucking trap, I’m gonna sucker punch you so hard you’ll be spitting out teeth,” Cana hissed. 

“Cana,” Mirajane scolded. “Be nice.” 

Cana huffed. 

Lisanna was glad that her chuckle was muffled by the helmet she wore. She understood why Cana was so twitchy and in such a bad mood, with Lucy being in possible danger and everything, but it  _ was _ rather amusing to see her go toe to toe with the overly cheery Crime Sorciere mage. Meredy hadn’t stopped grinning since she’d climbed through the window. 

“She’s so nice,” Wendy whispered to Juvia. “Was she always this nice? I thought… I thought people in dark guilds were… really mean.” 

Juvia shrugged. “I never really knew her, only briefly met her a few times. But she  _ did _ always seem rather bubbly for a place like Grimoire Heart.” 

Another pair of guards passed by them, and Lisanna instinctively tightened her grip on Juvia and Wendy’s chains. The guards did little more than nod towards Mirajane and Lisanna, but Lisanna doubted she would ever be as relaxed as her sister seemed to be in these types of situations. 

“I still don’t understand how no one has thought to question you at all,” Cana said. “Is  _ no one _ going to ask why we were arrested? Who we even are?” 

With her free hand, Mirajane tilted her helmet back to expose her face. “Oh, that’s thanks to our transformation magic. Because we shift forms, it also kind of… influences people, makes them think we’re more natural than we really are, you know? They’re not questioning us, because our magic essentially convinces them there’s no point in it, because what else would guards be doing?” 

“But you haven’t shapeshifted at all,” Juvia pointed out. “You just stole some armor.” 

Mirajane let the helmet slide back down. “True, but we still activated that little bit of our power. It’s a nifty little trick, huh?” 

“Almost like hypnosis,” Meredy said with a nod. “Very nifty, indeed.” 

“Yep, pretty much,” Lisanna said. “Mira’s a lot better at it than me, though. She’s had a lot more practice.” 

Cana threw her head back and groaned. “Why is this castle so damn  _ big? _ Where the fuck is  _ Lucy?” _

“We’re getting closer, Miss Cana,” Wendy assured her. “Her scent is getting a lot stronger. I think she may even be on this floor.” 

It made sense. They’d gotten out of the lower portions of the castle, the dungeons and kitchens and servants’ lodgings. Lucy was much more likely to be kept close to Princess Hisui, where she could keep a closer eye on her. Not to mention it would probably be easier to convince her to help with this insane plan to fight Acnologia if Hisui treated her with respect, rather than tossing her into some random dungeon cell. 

“Alright,” Wendy said. “Unchain us. We’re close, and I don’t sense anyone coming towards us.” 

“Right.” Lisanna dropped the chains and dug the key out of her pocket. She unclasped Wendy’s, just as Juvia slipped out of hers on her own with her water powers. The chains clattered onto the floor, and Lisanna pulled the helmet off, dropping it on the little pile of chains. She  _ hated _ having her head covered. She couldn’t see as much, and it set her on edge. 

As soon as she was free, Wendy took off down the hall, tracking the scent quicker than any bloodhound could ever hope to. 

“Wait up, you little brat!” Cana called as she chased after her, with Meredy and Juvia on her heels. 

“Keep your guard up,” Mirajane said as they followed at a slower pace. “I trust Wendy’s senses, but this is too easy.” 

“I was thinking the same thing,” Lisanna said. Even with their shapeshifting abilities, they shouldn’t have been able to get into the castle and find Lucy so easily. Someone had to be watching, be orchestrating  _ something. _

“In here!” Wendy exclaimed as she stood in front of a pair of large, ornately decorated doors. “This is definitely where she is.” 

“Move!” Cana shoved Wendy aside, before kicking the doors open. 

Lisanna would have to remember not to invite Cana on any  _ stealth _ operations anytime soon. Never mind how loud her voice was, Lisanna wasn’t even sure that door had been  _ locked. _ And someone had almost  _ definitely _ heard them banging open like that. 

“C-Cana?” Lucy spluttered, and Lisanna could sense her shock and confusion before she even laid eyes on her. 

“The one and only, babe,” Cana said as she leaned against the mildly damaged door frame. “We’re here to bust you out.”

Lisanna caught up to the rest of the group, before standing on her tiptoes to peer over Cana’s shoulder. “Hey, Lucy!” 

Lucy stared at them with wide eyes. “How… How did you even get in here?” She stared at Meredy for the longest. “Who even  _ are _ you?”

Meredy leaned around Juvia and held her hand out to shake. “Name’s Meredy, and I’m here on behalf of Crime Sorciere!” 

Lucy shook her hand, though she still seemed very confused by the situation. 

“We just couldn’t let the kingdom do whatever they wanted, you know?” Meredy continued. “Don’t trust ‘em, not one bit. You see, this whole plan of Princess Hisui’s just doesn’t make any damn sense and we don’t really know where she’s getting her information from—”

“I thought Yukino talked to you,” Lucy interrupted. “She said she did.” 

Cana frowned. “She talked to Natsu and his crew, not the rest of us.” 

Wendy nodded. “And we don’t think she was… Well, it’s not that we don’t trust  _ Yukino, _ it’s that we don’t trust  _ Hisui.” _

Mirajane nodded. “Meredy’s right. We don’t know what she’s doing, or even where she’s finding any of this supposed information.” 

Lucy rubbed the back of her neck. “I mean… She was a little odd, but she seemed sincere to me.” 

“Wait, you actually  _ talked _ to her?” Cana demanded. 

“Well yeah.” Lucy nodded. “She told me about her plan to get rid of Acnologia, and asked for my help.” 

Meredy’s cheerful smile melted away, and her eyes narrowed. “Did she tell you anything about where she was getting her information from?” 

“No, I didn’t ask,” Lucy said. 

“Well, whatever her reasoning was,” Juvia began as she glanced down the hall. “We should probably leave, before someone notices us.” 

“You really don’t trust her?” Lucy asked. 

Lisanna shook her head. “Absolutely not.” If Natsu, Erza, and Gray thought there was something odd going on, that was enough for Lisanna to stay the hell away from it. Never mind the information that Meredy seemed to have but wasn’t sharing about the situation. 

“Hell no!” Cana exclaimed. “I’d never trust a royal!” 

“No, I’m afraid not,” Mirajane said. 

Wendy shook her head. “Uh uh.” 

“The situation does seem rather suspicious,” Juvia said. 

Meredy sighed. “Look, the truth is, Jellal met someone, and… and based on what she said, Hisui sure as hell isn’t telling the truth about what she wants celestial spirit magic for. Something  _ big _ is going on, and we need to put a stop to it as quickly as possible.” 

Lucy’s hands shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh god.” She let out a shaky breath. “I’m such an  _ idiot.” _ Tears built in her eyes. “I’m so fucking  _ stupid.” _

“Hey.” Cana grabbed her and held her against her chest. “What are you talking about? You seen me? I’m dumb as a brick. You’re not stupid.” 

“I gave her my keys!” Lucy practically wailed. “I gave them my keys because I believed them!” She buried her face in Cana’s chest. “What did I  _ do?” _

Lisanna and Mirajane exchanged a glance, worry building in their eyes. 

“I-I-I thought everything she said made sense,” Lucy continued. “She just wanted to keep people safe from Acnologia, that’s what she told me! I wanted that, too! I didn’t want anyone else to end up like us, or worse, and I—” 

Cana hushed her and ran her hands through Lucy’s hair. It was… a surprisingly gentle gesture from the card mage. “It’s alright, sweetheart. We’ll just find the keys, okay?” She looked towards the rest of them. “Right, guys?” 

“Uh… Well it’s not like we have much of an option,” Meredy said with a shrug. 

“We should split up,” Mirajane suggested. “We can cover more ground that way. Lucy, do you have any idea what Hisui might have done with them?” 

Lucy pulled back from Cana and scrubbed the tears from her cheeks. “Below the palace. This thing, this Eclipse thing, I think. It’s supposed to work like some kind of weapon.” 

Cana frowned. “The thing that Yukino told us about the night she visited?”

Lucy nodded. 

Meredy worried her lip. “Okay, we need to  _ hurry. _ I don’t know when Hisui is planning on—” 

The floor vanished. Lisanna yelped and grabbed onto the first person she could grab, which happened to be Juvia. They screamed and clung onto each other for dear life as they fell. Everyone shrieked and cursed as they careened towards whatever waited for them at the bottom of this hole. 

As soon as Lisanna’s body hit the ground, with Juvia landing on top of her, everything went black. 

* * *

Meredy groaned as she forced herself up, rubbing the back of her head. It took a moment for the world to come back into focus. “What the hell…?” 

The women around her stirred and moaned with pain as they, too, forced themselves back to their feet. Wendy was already up and checking Lucy and Cana for injuries. 

“Lisanna?” Juvia shook the limp takeover mage’s body. “Lisanna, you have to get up.” 

“Is she okay?” Mirajane demanded as she raced over. 

Juvia nodded. “I think the fall just knocked her unconscious.” 

After Wendy finished with Lucy and Cana, and walked over to kneel next to Lisanna. “Don’t worry, I can take care of her.” 

Meredy brushed the dirt and pebbles from her clothes, and shook it out of her hair, before looking around the giant cavern they were in. “Where the hell are we?” It was dark, with just enough light to see what was going on. The only thing she could see was stone, dark green and black. She looked up, searching for the hole they  _ must _ have fallen down, but there was nothing. “What the fuck?” How the hell had they gotten down here? Where  _ was _ here? “It was magic,” she realized. 

Cana glanced over at her. “Huh? The fuck are you talking about?” 

“Magic,” Meredy repeated. “Someone cracked the floor open, and sent us somewhere. It might be beneath the palace, it might not, but either way, we were  _ sent _ here, we didn’t just fall in.” Had it been Princess Hisui? 

“Hey!” Cana screamed at the ceiling. “Whoever the fuck did this, get your ass down here! Goddamn  _ coward!” _

“This is my fault…” Lucy muttered. “If I wasn’t so gullible…” 

Meredy sighed as Cana did her best to comfort the girl and assure her that wasn’t true, even if it was. Meredy would have been suspicious of the princess from the start, and it looked like most of the Fairy Tail mages would have been too. 

But she couldn’t really blame Lucy. Actually, she wished that she still had enough faith in the world not to mistrust literally everything thrown at her. “Well,” she said. “We should get moving. We should be able to find a way out of here eventually.” 

Wendy and Mirajane finally roused Lisanna, and they set off. 

“Worse comes to worse,” Cana said. “I could always blast my way out.” She held up her arm, and Meredy’s eyes caught on the faint runes she’d vaguely noticed earlier. “And who knows,” she continued. “Maybe Loke will show up eventually. He’s usually not in the Celestial Spirit Realm for  _ this _ long. Then again…” She made sure not to look at Lucy. “Normally we summon him when he’s there, ‘cause time’s all fucked up, I guess.” 

Lucy rubbed her shoulder, and stared hard at the ground. But at least she had stopped crying. 

“Hey, Meredy, what did you mean earlier?” Mirajane asked. “Who was this person that you and Jellal met?” 

“Ah…” Meredy began to fidget with the clasp on her cloak. Of course, she expected them to ask sooner or later. Never mind that she had admitted to having information, they had probably suspected she had an angle anyways, considering there was no  _ real _ reason for her to be helping the guild with this rescue mission. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.” 

She hadn't personally met the woman that Jellal had, but he’d told her  _ everything. _ How she was from the future, what the future held, if they didn’t find some way to stop it, and… How that future version of Lucy had requested they don’t tell Fairy Tail about her. Meredy wasn’t sure why, but if Jellal thought it was a good idea not to tell them, then she would trust his judgement. 

Cana’s eyes narrowed. “Why the hell not? Full offense, but  _ I _ don’t trust you Crime Sorciere bastards the same way Erza and her crew do.” 

“Miss Cana!” Wendy protested. “Miss Meredy has done nothing but help us since—” 

“Since she attacked us on Tenrou Island?” Cana interrupted. “Yeah, sure. Doesn’t mean I trust her, though. Especially if she’s hiding information.” 

Meredy supposed that was fair, and she wasn’t offended by the blatant mistrust in the slightest. After all, she’d probably have the same feelings if she were in Cana’s position. And it did nothing to change her mind. “I’m still not going to tell you.”

“Cana, it’s alright,” Mirajane said. “Crime Sorciere… they obviously work with dangerous things. Of course they have things they want to keep to themselves, and I think that’s okay.” 

Cana grimaced.  _ “No one’s _ going to back me up on this?” 

“I trust Meredy,” Juvia said. “She’s a good person at heart.” 

A small smile tugged on Meredy’s lips as she rubbed at her wrist, the same place the runes from her linking spell with Juvia had once been. “Thank you.” 

Cana scoffed. “Whatever. Let’s just go.” 

* * *

Lucy kept grabbing for her keys. 

It was a habit. A nervous tick. A comfort. She just liked touching her keys, knowing they were always with her, right on her belt. God,  _ why _ had she given them to Yukino and Hisui? Sure, it had  _ seemed _ like a good idea at the time. A plan to defeat Acnologia with stored up magic from the most powerful guilds sounded good, right? And all they needed were her keys to activate the weapon. 

She couldn’t believe she  _ fell _ for that, didn’t think of all the risks. Never mind the fact that she hadn't even considered the possibility that Hisui might be lying, but she didn’t think at all about what might happen if the plan had gone wrong. 

All she had thought about was Tenrou, remembered the crushing feeling of  _ knowing _ she was going to die as that dragon attacked her. She  _ never _ wanted to feel that despair again. She didn’t want  _ anyone _ to feel that despair. It wasn’t  _ fair.  _

“Quit thinking,” Cana said as she gave Lucy’s hand a light squeeze. “Thinking never helped anyone.” 

Lucy frowned. “I  _ really _ don’t think that’s true.” 

“Thinking about what you could have done different,” she amended. “Everyone fucks up. Loke would tell you the same thing if he were here, too.” 

“But he’s  _ not,” _ Lucy said. “All because I gave up my keys!” 

Cana sighed. “Look, we all know I’m shit at the mushy-feely stuff, making people feel better. Let’s not kid ourselves. But you thought you were doing a good thing, you jumped at a chance to defeat a monster. Sure, it might not have worked out that way, but you weren’t doing something stupid or bad. So there. Think about  _ that _ instead.” 

Lucy let her head fall against Cana’s shoulder. “You’re better at it than you think.” Then she frowned. “And you’re not really going to use that spell to get us out of here, are you?” 

“Sure I will,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I? That thing’s fucking epic.”

“Yeah, but…” Lucy brushed her thumb over the runes. “We don’t know what it’s doing to you. They’ve already spread so much, and you haven’t even used it very many times.” 

“Eh, it’ll be fine!” Cana said. “Not like it’s gonna kill me. Maybe it’ll give me some new badass powers like Natsu and Erza’s weird transmutations did.” 

Lucy knew her girlfriend was joking, that was what Cana  _ did _ with these types of situations, but that was pushing it, even for her. “I really don’t think Natsu and Erza enjoyed that.” Even if they were both used to it  _ now. _ “And… have you considered talking to them about it? You know,  _ if _ something like that ends up happening? So then maybe… I don’t know. Maybe they could help you adjust, or something.” 

“Come on,” Cana said as she shook her head. “That’s not even what’s actually happening. I’ll be  _ fine. _ I don’t feel any different, I promise.” 

Lucy thought about pointing out that maybe Cana wouldn’t even  _ notice _ if she did start feeling different, but decided against it. They didn’t really need to be digging into this right now. 

Lucy decided to tune into someone else’s conversation, not happy at all with the direction that one had been going. 

“How do you think Miss Erza’s team is doing?” Wendy asked. 

Mirajane laughed and ruffled her hair. “They’re winning, of course!” 

Lisanna nodded in agreement. “There’s no way they would lose! I’ll bet they’re kicking Sabertooth ass right now!” 

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Gently, Wendy touched her hand to the scars on her neck. “I do kind of wish I could fight with them, though…” 

“Hey, you did good in the events you  _ did _ fight in,” Lisanna said. “I didn’t even fight in the Games at all,” she laughed. “You’re already doing better than me.” 

“Miss Lisanna, that’s just because  _ you _ don’t like fighting, though,” Wendy pointed out. 

“You’re right, I don’t,” she said. “Do  _ you _ like fighting?” 

Wendy hummed, like she was thinking hard about the question. “Yeah, I think I do,” she finally answered. “It’s fun! And I like proving myself.” 

“Well you’re definitely Natsu and Gajeel’s little sister,” Mirajane chuckled. 

Lucy turned away from that conversation to focus on Juvia and Meredy’s, but that was mostly just Meredy gushing about her girlfriend and Juvia humming and nodding in agreement when the conversation called for it. 

“God, I wish something would just fucking  _ happen,” _ Cana complained. “I hate just walking like this.” 

“Don’t say that,” Mirajane warned. “You’ll jinx us.” 

A knife flew through the air, aimed right at Mirajane’s head. 

“Mira!” Lucy shouted. 

Mirajane batted it away as if it were nothing more than a  _ fly. _ “Cana, look what you did,” she said. 

* * *

Mirajane threw one of the knights into the wall, smirking as it cracked around her. She wouldn’t be getting back up anytime soon. 

“Mira!” Lisanna called. “Heads up!” 

Mirajane turned just in time to see Lisanna kick one of the knights towards her. She flexed her talons, catching the knight, before slamming him into the ground. He struggled for a moment, but Mirajane knocked him unconscious with one blow to the head. 

She couldn’t help but scoff. The kingdom’s executioners? They were certainly nothing to brag about. Then again, Mirajane supposed she couldn’t be surprised. The wizards who worked for the kingdom were  _ never _ as good as guild wizards. Because if you were  _ that _ good, why would you work for the kingdom, rather than a guild, where you got paid better,  _ and _ more freedom? 

They hadn’t really even struggled against the kingdom’s knights. Between the seven of them, they’d handled them with ease. 

As Juvia dealt with the final knight, Mirajane shifted out of her takeover form, then stretched and rolled her shoulders. “Well that was a nice warmup.” 

Cana kicked at one of the unconscious bodies. “Seriously, what the hell was that? Did they  _ seriously _ think they could take us?” 

“Well,” Meredy said. “Now we  _ do _ know we’re still near the palace, at the least. And that there has to be a way in and out of this place. If not, how did they get in? I doubt it was the same way we did.” 

Mirajane nodded in agreement. “Now we just have to find it.” 

“I could follow their scent,” Wendy said. “Track them back the way they came.” 

“God, she’s adorable, and useful,” Meredy said, before patting Wendy’s head. “Crime Sorciere has really got to get a dragon slayer.” 

Wendy giggled. 

“Careful, they’re pretty high maintenance,” Mirajane teased. “You wouldn’t believe all the weird fire and metal I have to keep in the kitchen for them.”

“Hey, those aren’t for me!” Wendy protested. 

“And they don’t let you in their house,” Cana added. 

“W-Well, we let  _ some _ people,” Wendy tried to say. 

“Sometimes they lay on you like big giant cats,” Juvia said. 

“Because we  _ care _ about you!” Wendy exclaimed. 

“Oh, Wendy, they’re just teasing you,” Lisanna said as she patted the girl’s shoulder. “I know they  _ love _ you dragon slayers.” 

Mirajane grinned and elbowed Lisanna’s side. “Not as much as  _ you _ love dragon slayers.” 

Lisanna’s cheeks turned bright red. 

“Wait…” Cana’s smile turned devilish. “Lisanna, tell me you have better taste than that.  _ Not _ that moron.” 

Lisanna covered her face with her hands. “Mira, look what you  _ did.” _

Cana raised her hands. “Hey, I won’t tell anyone. I’m not that big of an asshole.” 

“Wait, are you talking about Natsu?” Wendy asked, her eyes lighting up. 

“N-No!” Lisanna protested. “No, we’re not!” 

Wendy didn’t look like she believed her, but she didn’t press. “Well, okay then. Come on.” She pointed the direction the executioners had come from. “They came from that way.” 

* * *

“They defeated the Hungry Wolf Knights that easily?” Yukino gasped. 

Hisui couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head. “I admit, I didn’t expect them to win  _ that _ easily, but I didn’t expect our men to actually capture them. I know better than that.” If only she could convince guild wizards to fight for her one day. 

“It won’t take them long to get out of there now,” Yukino said. “Should we hurry up and use the Eclipse?” 

Yukino shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “Not until the Games are over.” 

“But—” 

“I’m not changing my mind about that, Yukino,” Hisui said. She wouldn’t risk using that Eclipse Gate until the information she’d received was proven true, and she would finally know for sure with the outcome of the Games. 

“O-Okay,” Yukino said, though she still seemed uncertain. 

Not that Hisui could blame her. It wasn’t like she had exactly told her everything. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Yukino, just that she wasn’t sure if she would  _ believe _ her. After all, it  _ was _ time travel. 

“Just a few more hours,” she said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to get real rough for everyone. Like oh man, I'm so sorry


	27. A Fairy's Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirajane's team discovers future Lucy, and Erza's team faces their last enemy

Just as Cana started to bitch about the massive doors they discovered, they groaned, and began to open outward, revealing a single figure. 

Mirajane began to call on her magic, preparing to shift forms again. Most likely, this was an enemy. Though they were a fool to come face them alone. One of Hisui’s followers, perhaps? 

“That’s… That’s not right…” Wendy said as she stiffened. “Not right at all. It’s not even like Edolas. They all smelt at least a  _ little _ different there.” 

“Wendy, what are you talking about?” Lisanna asked. 

Wendy glanced over at Lucy, then back at the cloaked figure, her eyes wide and confused. 

“What are you doing here?” Meredy asked as she took a step forward. “It is you, isn’t it?” 

Mirajane frowned, only growing more tense. She knew how accurate dragon slayer senses were, and if Wendy was this spooked, even Meredy knowing who this was wasn’t enough to convince her that they weren’t a threat. 

“You know who this is?” Cana asked. 

The figure gripped the edges of their hood, flicking it backwards to reveal their face. 

Uneasy tingles shot down Mirajane’s spine, and she grabbed Lisanna’s shoulder, some instinct deep in her wanting to protect her sister from whatever unnatural…  _ thing _ this was. 

“What the fuck!?” Lucy and Cana exclaimed at the same time. 

“I-I’m sorry,” the woman said,  _ not _ Lucy. Mirajane shook her head. Even though they looked the same, felt the same, she told herself that this  _ could not _ be Lucy, because Lucy, the  _ real _ one, was standing right next to Mirajane. “I realized I couldn’t just leave this to Jellal and Crime Sorciere. I… I had to tell you myself,” she continued, before taking a shaky step forward. 

Everyone turned to stare at Meredy, who  _ seemed _ to have answers. 

“I…” the Crime Sorciere mage began. “It’s… Look, it’s not like I don’t want you to know, I just don’t know how well you’ll all react—” 

Cana marched forward to grab Meredy’s shirt and shake her. “You better start talking right fucking now, Meredy! The everliving  _ fuck _ is going on!?” 

“I can try to explain…” other Lucy said. “Please… Let me…” Her eyes rolled back into her head, before she collapsed. 

Meredy slipped out of Cana’s hold while she was distracted. “Look, I’ll explain while we’re on the move. It’s not smart to linger in one place for too long.” 

“Well what about her?” Wendy asked as she kneeled next to the other Lucy. She laid her hand on her forehead. “I don’t think she’s going to be waking up anytime soon. I can’t even sense what’s wrong with her.” 

“Who is she?” Juvia asked.  _ “Is _ she Lucy from Edolas?” 

Lisanna shook her head. “No, I would recognize that Lucy anywhere. That’s definitely not her.” 

Wendy hummed in agreement. “And like I said earlier, she smells  _ identical _ to our Lucy. The people in Edolas weren’t like that.” 

“Meredy,” Mirajane said. “You  _ have _ to tell us what’s going on.” 

Meredy sighed and nodded. “I know, I know. It’s just… Okay, fine. That  _ is _ Lucy.  _ Your _ Lucy. And she’s from the future.” 

Wendy jerked her hand back from future Lucy. “The  _ future?” _

Mirajane was at a complete loss. She had no reason not to believe Meredy, and she  _ knew _ that this was Lucy, there was no doubt about that. This was not a different person. But time travel… Mirajane wasn’t exactly up to date on the most recent magical research and spells being discovered, but she was pretty sure they would hear if  _ time travel _ had been made possible. 

“But why?” Lucy asked. “Why would  _ I _ come back from the future?” 

“Pick her up, and let’s go.” Meredy motioned for them to hurry up. “I’ll explain what I know as we go, I promise. But it’s only a matter of time before Hisui sends more people after us.” 

Cana shook her head. “I’m not carrying her.” 

“She’s bigger than me, I can’t do it,” Wendy said. 

Lucy whined. “Come on,  _ please _ don’t make me carry myself. That’s so  _ weird.” _

Juvia fidgeted. “I guess I could carry her for a while, but someone might need to—” 

Mirajane sighed, and leaned down to pick future Lucy up and sling her over her shoulder. She really wasn’t that heavy, she didn’t see what all the fuss was about. “I’ll carry her.” 

“God, what the hell is your and Erza’s weight training routine?” Cana asked. “Why are you both so fucking jacked?” 

Mirajane shrugged. She really wasn’t any more muscular than any other guild member. Maybe even in this form, her takeover magic supplied her with more strength. 

“Can Erza  _ really _ do over a thousand pushups?” Lucy asked as she leaned towards Mirajane, making sure to look  _ anywhere _ other than her double. “Cana told me she could but I’m not sure if I believe her or not.” 

Before she could answer, Lisanna nodded. “Yeah, she can! She got into a pushup contest with Natsu and Gray once and beat them both.” 

“Oh, I remember that!” Wendy said. “She even had me sit on her back for a while, just to show off.” 

Meredy groaned and motioned for them to hurry up again. “God, you guys get distracted easily. We need to  _ go.” _

Mirajane nodded in agreement. “She’s right. We have Lucy, actually, twice the amount of Lucy we were trying to get in the first place. Now we really need to find those keys and get out of here before we get into any more trouble.” 

* * *

“And you just let her go?” Ultear asked. 

Jellal shrugged. “It’s not like I’m in charge of her. She changed her mind, who was I to stop her from going to help her guildmates?” 

Ultear grit her teeth. “You’re too soft for those damn fairies.” 

He didn’t bother to deny it. 

She glared at him. “If you could pay attention.” 

Jellal pried his attention away from the lacrima that was broadcasting the Games. It wasn’t that Ultear didn’t want Fairy Tail to win, but she knew that them watching would do nothing to affect the results. And yes, sure, while right now there wasn’t much they could actually do, unless they wanted to hunt future Lucy or Meredy down, they still shouldn’t be wasting their time watching the Games. 

“I’m serious,” she continued. “It’s because of your loyalty to them that we’re here in the capital in the first place, you let future Lucy go rather than keep an eye on her because you felt bad for her and wanted to give her the chance to see her guildmates again, do you see where I am going with this, Jellal?” 

He sighed. “You didn’t have to follow me to the capital. And would you really rather be far away from here, with not even the option to help or get involved in this as we need to?” 

She crossed her arms and turned her nose up. “I’m not saying that. What I’m  _ saying _ is that you’re too loyal to Erza, and anyone she’s close with.” 

He rolled his eyes. “What’s got you in such a pissy mood?” 

_ “Excuse  _ me?” she demanded. 

He gave her a  _ look. _ “Oh, don’t act like you actually care about my connections with Fairy Tail. Something’s bothering you so you’re just finding things to complain about. Is it because Meredy is off by herself? She’ll be fine. She knows what she’s doing.” 

Ultear slouched down and took a deep breath. “No, it has nothing to do with Meredy.” She knew her girlfriend was perfectly capable of handling herself. And damn Jellal for being able to read her so easily. 

Then again, she supposed spending six years with a person led to you knowing each other very well. 

“So what is it?” he asked. 

“This damn Eclipse Gate,” she muttered. “I hate it.” 

“Huh?” 

She shook her head. “I don’t know why or when it was originally created. But… It’s not… It’s not  _ fair,” _ she admitted. “Why did  _ Lucy _ get to time travel? Why does  _ anyone _ get to time travel? But I… I’m just…” She trailed off and shook her head. 

“Oh…” Gently, Jellal laid his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it that way. Yeah, I understand why you would be upset.” 

She shrugged him off. “It’s stupid! I shouldn’t  _ be _ upset! I don’t even  _ want _ to time travel anymore! I know it wouldn’t actually give me what I wanted. But for some reason I can’t explain, it’s pissing me off so much that someone else got to do it, when I never even came close, after giving up  _ so much  _ of my life, just for that goal.” 

“Lucy doesn’t know why the Eclipse was originally created…” Jellal said. “All she knows is that later tonight it’s supposed to open, and… and that’s when the dragons come.” 

Ultear huffed. “Time travel’s fucked. It shouldn’t fucking exist. If we aren’t careful, a paradox could completely tear apart the fabric of reality.” 

Jellal hummed, and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “You really think so?” 

She shrugged. “Well I don’t know for sure, but I’ve done a lot of research on the topic. It’s definitely a possibility if this isn’t handled delicately. Such as Lucy staying in this time period for too long. Or the dragons not returning to their original time…” Her frown deepened. “I doubt anyone even realized this, but I’ll bet that’s why the future is so awful. Sure, dragons are destructive, but I don’t think they could destroy the entire world, considering they didn’t do it in the past. I think them being in the future, caused everything to begin to unravel, because that wasn't where they were _supposed_ to be, and the world started to turn into a literal hell on Earth.” 

“God, that makes my head hurt,” Jellal said. “How did you spend your whole life researching shit like that?” 

“Determination mixed with denial and delusion is a helluva drug,” she said. 

“Well, it won’t happen this time,” he said. “We have a warning now, and Meredy is working with Fairy Tail to make sure the Gate never opens in the first place. All we have to do is make sure no one else from the future shows up, like Lucy was worried about.” 

“Yeah…” 

Ultear wasn’t so sure that the future could be so easily avoided. If there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was that time didn’t like to be changed. 

Could they really stop that future? 

* * *

“So you’re saying that Gate that Hisui is claiming can be used to defeat Acnologia, is actually some weird time travel… thingie?” Lisanna asked. 

Meredy nodded. “That’s why we’re so suspicious of her. How could she not know that? She has to be lying about something.” 

Lucy shook her head. “She wasn’t lying about that.” 

“How could you possibly know that?” Meredy asked. 

Lucy sighed. How could she explain it to a person like Meredy? The Crime Sorciere mage didn’t trust  _ anyone _ unless she knew them very well. “I just… You can just  _ tell _ sometimes, you know? She wasn’t lying. She might be as stupid and gullible as me, but she’s not doing something bad, at least not on purpose. She genuinely believes that this Eclipse Gate can be used to defeat Acnologia.” 

“But who’s telling her this?” Juvia asked. “It doesn’t make sense that she would come to a conclusion like that completely on her own.” 

Lucy stared at the future version of herself, still slung over Mirajane’s shoulder. Her long, tangled hair swaying with each step the takeover mage took. “I don’t know.” She wished she’d asked Hisui and Yukino more questions about the plan, who exactly was involved. 

“Why was something like the Eclipse Gate created in the first place?” Mirajane asked. “It must be incredibly old, if it’s really beneath the palace. What could it have possibly been used for originally? Who wanted to time travel?” 

Lucy shook her head. “I have no idea. And if it really needs the Zodiac keys to activate it… why don’t any celestial spirit wizards know about it? Why wouldn’t our spirits tell us?” 

“You think Loke knows?” Cana asked. 

Lucy shrugged hopelessly. She didn’t  _ think _ that Loke would hide something like that from them, but then again, if it had really been that long ago, maybe he didn’t think it was important enough to say anything about. God, she  _ really _ wished she had her keys. If only she could summon him… or even someone like Aquarius. They just needed some  _ answers. _

“At least we’re already in the lower levels of the palace,” Juvia said. “It won’t take as long to find the Gate, so we can stop it from opening.” 

“Yes, that is of the  _ utmost _ importance,” Meredy said. Her happy-go-lucky attitude had vanished a while ago, and showed no signs of returning anytime soon. “The future…” She nodded towards future Lucy. “From what she told Jellal, it is not a pleasant time.”

“How bad we talking?” Cana asked. 

Meredy grimaced. “Total world destruction.” She turned her gaze to Lucy. “And aside from  _ you,  _ evidently your entire guild is dead.” 

Everyone froze. 

“W-What?” Wendy asked. “We’re  _ dead?” _

Meredy nodded solemnly. “So is Crime Sorciere. Sabertooth. Mermaid Heel. Pretty much anyone in the capital. Unless we stop that Gate, we’re about to become ground zero for the goddamn apocalypse.  _ We _ were the front lines, and we failed.” 

“What in the hell could kill us all?” Lisanna asked, her voice shaking. “Not just Fairy Tail, but  _ everyone?”  _

Meredy continued to march down the corridor, her resolve never shaking, even knowing that in just a few hours, she was supposed to be  _ dead. _ “Dragons,” she said. “Dragons will be the death of us all.” 

* * *

It didn’t take Erza long to find Natsu and Gray. They were looking a little worse for wear, though she figured she probably wasn’t any better. At least they didn’t have any broken bones. 

“God, Erza, are you okay!?” Natsu demanded as soon as he saw her. He rushed forward to help support some of her weight. 

She nodded. “I’ll be okay. And Minerva and Kagura have been taken care of.” 

“I heard.” Natsu’s eyes darkened. “I hope you gave Minerva hell.” 

She scoffed. “You think I wouldn’t?” 

“Good.” 

“It’s just Sting now, right?” Gray asked. “I haven’t heard anything about him since this whole thing started.” 

Natsu bared his teeth. “Let’s go finish this.” 

Erza tightened her hold on Natsu’s shoulder as they walked. “Laxus and Gajeel are probably heading that way, too.” 

Gray huffed. “It really sucks being the only one who can’t smell their way around, you know.” 

Erza chuckled and patted his back. “Oh, Gray. Good thing you have us.” 

* * *

Sting had a good idea of what to expect when he faced the Fairy Tail mages. They’d be tired, injured, maybe a little pissed off because they just wanted this  _ over. _

And he could handle them. Even if it was Natsu and Gajeel. He could… He could do this. 

He could fight for Minerva. He could do what she asked. He would get Lector back, and he could get behind Minerva being in charge. As long as he had Rogue and Lector. It was fine. He could do this. 

He could  _ do this. _

He couldn’t do this. 

Laxus, Erza, Gray,  _ Natsu, Gajeel. _ They all looked like they’d fought their way out of hell, and they  _ weren’t going to back down. _ Erza even offered to let him pick someone to fight one on one. 

He could defeat them easily. So why couldn’t he… Why couldn’t he just  _ do it!?  _

He didn’t want to fight his brothers anymore. He just  _ didn’t. _ He was  _ done. _ He wanted Rogue, and Lector, and he wanted to go  _ home. _

Sting fell to his knees. 

“I surrender,” he whispered. “I surrender.” 

_ “FAIRY TAIL WINS!” _

The crowd cheered, but Sting tuned them out. He didn’t even care anymore. He just wanted… He just wanted his  _ family. Anything _ other than  _ this. _

Gajeel stepped forward and roughly set his hand on Sting’s head, before softly ruffling his hair, like he had back when they were kids. “You were a hell of a lot smarter than Rogue was.” 

Confused, Sting stared up at Gajeel. Weren’t they supposed to  _ hate _ each other? 

“Come talk to us later,” he said. “We’re going to get this sorted out.” 

Sting nearly broke down sobbing. “Thank you.” He took a shuddering breath.  _ “Thank you.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those of you who keep requesting Sting gets a hug? I promise he'll get one soon


	28. Blood From the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gajeel and Natsu have a talk with Sting, and Mirajane's team encounters an enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's officially time for me to start being really, really mean to everyone, yet again

Pain was nothing. Minerva had dealt with pain her whole life. A sword running through her was  _ nothing. _

She grit her teeth, forcing herself up, ignoring the blood that pooled on the ground. “Damn you, Erza,” she hissed. 

“Miss, you should stay down!” the medic cautioned. “The event is over, and you’re  _ severely _ injured.” He tried to gently push her back onto the ground. 

“Fuck off!” she snapped as she shoved him away. She forced herself to her feet, and staggered away. “Don’t fucking follow me, or I’ll kill you!” 

“Minerva, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kagura gasped from her spot on the ground. Three medics worked to knit her massive wound back together. 

Minerva ignored her, and all the medics that called after her, even if they didn’t dare to follow. Sabertooth had gone to hell. Sting and Rogue’s loyalty was sure to be gone now, especially considering those damn Fairy Tail bastards were probably going to forgive them because that was just how fucking  _ good _ they were. There was nothing left for her there. 

She could find a better guild somewhere else, somewhere stronger, more deserving of her power. 

And then she would kill Erza fucking Scarlet with her own two hands. 

* * *

“Erzy!” Milliana stumbled down the street, holding Lector to her chest. “Erzy, this little kitty said he had to find the dragon slayer!” 

Sting’s eyes widened. How did… How did the Mermaid Heel mage have his cat? 

Erza rushed forward to help Milliana, before scolding her for not staying put and waiting on the medics that had been dispatched to help her. 

Sting wasn’t far behind her, running towards Milliana as fast as he could. Lector scrambled out of her arms and bounded towards him. “Sting, Sting, you’re okay! I thought Minerva had—” 

Sting grabbed him and buried his face in the cat’s fur. “You’re  _ okay. _ She didn’t hurt you?” 

Lector purred. “No, she didn’t do anything. Milliana grabbed me and hid me when Minerva gave her back to Kagura and Erza.” 

“That bitch really likes taking hostages…” Natsu muttered, before clapping his hand down on Sting’s shoulder. 

Sting stiffened, not realizing he was that close. 

“Hey, Gajeel, you didn’t kill Rogue, did ya?” Natsu asked. 

Gajeel huffed and crossed his arms. “‘Course not. Just broke a few bones. Probably. He’ll be fine.” 

It didn’t take the medics long to find them. Most of them were concerned with Erza and Milliana, who were the most severely injured. Natsu and Gajeel let them wrap and bandage their worst injuries, but quickly brushed them off so they could sit next to Sting, who still held Lector in a death grip. 

“Why did you kill Weisslogia?” Gajeel asked quietly. 

Sting stiffened, and finally looked up. Gajeel and Natsu sat on either side of him, and despite everything, they didn’t look mad. They just seemed… tired. Tired, and curious. “I…” He rubbed at his eyes, trying to force back tears. “I didn’t want to. He–He told me to…” He tightened his hold on Lector. “He told me to… He said he wanted to die… and I…” He shook his head. “I wanted to be a good son…” 

Gajeel whacked the back of his head, and Sting was thrown forward. “You goddamn idiot.” 

Sting didn’t bother to say that hurt, or fight back. He deserved much worse than that. 

“Still, why would you listen to something like that?” Natsu asked. 

Sting shrugged. He didn’t have good answers for them. He’d asked himself that question more times than he could count. The whole event was blurry. He had no idea what started the conversation that led to killing Weisslogia. It was just like… just like it had happened. “I don’t know. I guess it made sense to me. I was made to kill dragons, to put an end to them. So I only did what was natural.” 

“Sting…” Lector rubbed his cheek against his chest. 

“I’m guessin’ it’s the same for Rogue?” Gajeel asked. 

Sting nodded. 

Natsu sighed. “Alright then. That’s all we wanted to know.” 

“Huh?” 

“You ain’t lying,” Natsu said. “You didn’t want to. I guess… I’m not gonna say it’s  _ okay, _ but I can get past that.” 

Sting stared at him with wide eyes. “W-What?” 

Natsu grinned. “Yeah!” He pointed to Gajeel. “You wouldn’t believe how fucked up he was when we met again! It’ll be okay.” 

Gajeel glared at him and flipped him off. 

“You mean… you two weren’t always together?” Sting asked. He’d assumed that they’d joined Fairy Tail together! 

Gajeel shook his head. “Nah. I was on my own for a long time. Only met back up with Natsu and Wendy about eight months ago or so… well… plus the whole seven years bullshit.” He shrugged. “And Natsu’s right. I was a goddamned criminal. If it weren’t for Fairy Tail, I’d be rottin’ in prison.” 

Sting dropped Lector, and before he really thought too much about what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around Gajeel, and buried his face in his chest. Gajeel stiffened, but eventually relaxed again, and awkwardly hugged Sting back. “What in the hell happened to you, kid?” 

Natsu leaned over, a concerned noise building in his throat as Sting finally started to cry. 

“I don’t get it,” Sting said. “You should hate me. You’re supposed to hate me! I killed my dad! I threatened to kill you! The person I worked for hurt Wendy! I don’t understand!” He tightened his hold on Gajeel. “You can’t just  _ forgive _ me! No one does that! The  _ world _ doesn’t work like that!” 

Gajeel held him tighter. “Christ, Sting… We’re gonna go find Rogue and Wendy, and then we’re all gonna talk, okay?” 

Sting managed to nod, even if he still didn’t understand. 

* * *

“I really can’t believe that Fairy Tail made it through all of that without losing a single member,” Yukino said with a shudder. “Maybe we shouldn’t have grabbed Lucy like that. We don’t want them opposing us.” 

Hisui grimaced. She honestly couldn’t tell you if she had wanted that outcome or not. Now she knew for sure that her information was correct, his predictions had been completely accurate. But now… now she couldn’t afford not to use the Eclipse Gate. It was time. “You have all twelve keys?” she asked. 

Yukino nodded and held the key ring out, jingling it. “Of course!” 

“Good.” Hisui walked faster, just wanting to get this over with. “I’m going to make an announcement to the guilds in the capital. Should this not work, we need to be prepared. I don’t know if even all of them combined could take down Acnologia if this doesn’t work, but… but it will be better than them being completely unprepared and unorganized.” 

“That… would probably be wise,” Yukino agreed. 

“So while I’m speaking to them, I want you to begin preparing the Gate. Without Lucy, it will be up to you to open it on your own,” she said. 

Yukino saluted her. “I will do my best, M’lady!” 

* * *

A dark, menacing aura washed over the capital. Jellal’s entire body locked up, and the chill in his bones was so intense he shook. “Ultear,” he gasped. 

She nodded, her body just as tense. “I sense it, too.” 

Jellal shook his head. That  _ was not _ Lucy. It was similar, just  _ barely, _ only enough to identify that this person was not from their own time period. But this person’s presence was  _ far _ darker, drenched in shadows. “We should go,” he said. 

Ultear nodded, before she took off down the street, with Jellal hot on her heels, praying that they would get there quickly enough to stop the Gate from opening. “This must be the one Hisui is getting information from,” Ultear said. “That’s the only thing that makes sense.” 

Jellal grimaced. “But who would want the dragons to return?” Even the slayers, who wanted nothing more than to be reunited with their parents, wouldn’t summon all the dragons from the past. 

Ultear shook her head. “I’ve got no damn idea, but they’re either stupid, or even worse than us.” 

It had to be someone with a connection to the dragons. A slayer made the most sense, and yet, also the  _ least. _ Jellal really didn’t understand. They were the only people alive who knew anything about dragons, knew how they operated. So which one was it? 

Which dragon slayer had turned on them all? 

* * *

Mirajane jumped as Lucy awoke with a gasp, twisting and thrashing, trying to escape her grasp. Shocked, she dropped the girl, leaving her to land in a heap with a small,  _ “Oof.” _

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Mirajane apologized. 

Future Lucy shook her head. “No, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize… it was you…” She forced herself up on shaky legs. “Where did… everyone else go?” 

“Ah.” Mirajane rolled her shoulders, relieved that the extra weight was finally gone. “We split up to find the Eclipse Gate. Lisanna, Juvia, Wendy, and Meredy went down a different hall.” 

“Oh…” Future Lucy turned her gaze to Cana, and Lucy. “I’m sorry. This must all be very confusing.” She winced and pressed her hand to her head. “I really shouldn’t be here… Being so close to you…” She nodded towards Lucy. “It’s breaking me down. We’re not meant to exist in the same time.” 

“Then fucking beat it,” Cana said. “Last thing we need is you kicking the bucket, since you’re the one with the most information.” 

“How come you were the only one left alive?” Lucy asked. “Did you not fight with everyone else?” She seemed distraught by the idea that she might leave everyone else to die. 

Future Lucy shook her head. “No.” She blinked back tears. “I wanted to stay and fight. But I was the only one who could use the Gate, because of my keys. So everyone…” She took a shaky breath. “They fought so hard to get me to the Gate.” She reached out, like she wanted to touch Cana. “You were the one who pushed me through, just before… before you  _ burned.” _

Cana took a step back, unnerved. 

“Who does this?” Mirajane asked. “Who brings the dragons through the Gate in the first place?” That was the most crucial information they needed. Who was the  _ real _ threat? The one actually behind all of this, pulling all the strings? 

“Sting swore it was Minerva’s influence…” future Lucy said quietly. “Before… before he tried to face him and got killed.” She shook her head. “He said he would never do this, not on his own, that Minerva and his magic  _ changed _ him.” 

_ “Who?” _ Mirajane repeated. 

“Rogue,” she said, anger forming in her eyes. “It was all  _ Rogue.” _

“Talking about me, Lucy?” 

Mirajane whipped around, already shifting into her demon form. Cana shoved both Lucys behind her and snatched her cards out of her bag, before settling them between her fingers. 

Mirajane took an unwilling step backwards, overwhelmed by the sheer  _ evil _ power she felt coming from this man. If she thought her own magic was bad… She shuddered. It was  _ nothing _ compared to the shadows that swirled around him. “Rogue,” Mirajane assumed. He looked hardly anything like the Rogue she had seen competing in the Games, but there was no one else this could be. 

“Ah, the She-Devil,” Rogue said as he tilted his head towards her. “You were one of the more difficult opponents that I dealt with. Not hard by any means, but you put up much more of a fight than most of the others.” 

Mirajane scoffed and drug her foot back, settling into a fight stance. This was good. If they could end this here and now, then the Eclipse Gate would never open in the first place. All she had to do was kill this version of Rogue, and Lisanna’s team could stop Hisui, and then that awful future would never exist. “Cana.” 

The card mage nodded. “Yeah, I know.” 

Mirajane shot forward, magic building in her palm as she prepared to shove it into Rogue’s chest, wanting to blast a hole straight through him. She felt the air charge with electricity as Cana summoned a lightning attack with her cards. 

Rogue smirked, and easily dodged the blow, simultaneously wrapping Mirajane in shadows, and launching her back down the hall to smash into Cana. 

Cana shouted in frustration. “Get your goddamn tail and wings off me, Mira!” She shoved Mirajane off her, already scrambled back to her feet. “Get over here you fucking dragon, I’m gonna fucking kill you!” She threw her cards to the floor, and held her fist out. “I’m not fucking playing around!” 

“Cana!” Lucy shouted. “Don’t use that spell!” 

“Gather, O river of light that’s guided by the fairies,” Cana whispered as the runes grew more vibrant, spreading even further, crawling over her shoulder now.

Rogue held his own hand out, not at all concerned by the magic power swirling around Cana. 

“Shine, in order to perish the fangs of evil.” The runes began to glow, so brightly that Mirajane squeezed her eyes shut. 

_ “Cana!”  _ Lucy shouted. Mirajane had no idea which one. Hell, it might have been both. 

_ “Fairy glitter!”  _

The spell was released. Mirajane threw her arms up to guard her face as magic power rampaged down the hall, the aftershocks causing the whole damn castle to shake. She dared to crack an eye open, just in time to see Rogue’s own magic smash against Cana’s spell. The shadows raged against the shining light, and the walls around them began to crack and groan with the weight of the magic power. 

Mirajane jumped up and grabbed Cana, shoving her to the ground as the magic  _ exploded. _ She could only hope Lucy got down as well, she wasn’t close enough to grab her in time. 

The magic began to die away and the building settled. Mirajane lifted her head, and pure dread flooded through her. 

Rogue stood completely unharmed, not even  _ flustered, _ after being targeted by the  _ fucking _ fairy glitter spell! 

“No way…” Cana whispered, her eyes growing wide with horror. “There’s no way.” 

Mirajane forced herself up. A hopeless fight or not, they couldn’t back down. “I see now how you and your dragons managed to kill us all,” she admitted. “But let’s see how well you do the second time around.” 

Rogue raised an eyebrow, and scoffed. “I’m not here for you. You’ll die soon enough.” His gaze locked onto both Lucys. “I’m here for her, and the other celestial spirit mage.” 

Mirajane noticed Lucy grab for her keys, before freezing when she remembered that they weren’t there. “Why?” she asked. “Why would you do all this?” 

Rogue held his hand out for another attack, the shadows already beginning to swirl around him. “Your guild took everything from me. Frosch, Minerva, Sting. You took them all. It’s only fair that I return the favor.” 

Cana scrambled to her feet, jumping in front of Lucy, just as Rogue released his power. 

_ “CANA!” _ Mirajane screamed. 

The shadows tore into a body, and she landed with a quiet thud. 

Tears pricked at the corners of Cana’s eyes, and Lucy peered over her girlfriend’s shoulder, a horrified expression on her face. 

“Why would… why would you do that?” Cana whispered. 

Rogue sighed and shook his head. “I guess I’ll have to kill you a second time.” 

Mirajane stumbled over, falling next to future Lucy’s side. She pressed her hands against the gaping tears the shadows had torn in her, and it didn’t take more than a few seconds for her hands to be completely covered in blood. 

“I…” she choked, blood dribbling down her chin. “I just wanted… to save her… just… once…” 

Her eyes dulled. 

Mirajane took a shuddering breath, and pulled her hands back, flicking the blood from her talons. She looked over her shoulder, ready to tell Rogue that she was going to tear him to fucking pieces, but then he went flying forward, someone having punched him from behind. 

“Don’t you fucking  _ dare _ touch my girlfriends!” Loke snarled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well everyone, I'm officially starting a Seven Deadly Sins rewrite! I know, I know, I'm still in the middle of this rewrite, and I haven't finished my FMA fic or my Keith/Acxa fic yet, but I got really excited and just had to start it! The first chapter will probably be posted within the next week or two, so if you like Seven Deadly Sins, you should totally go check it out after I get it posted


	29. Opening of the Gate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cana and Loke fight against Rogue, and Hisui and Yukino open the Eclipse Gate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's dragon time, babey!

One by one, Yukino removed the keys from the flimsy little ring, such a pathetic piece of metal to hold something as powerful as all twelve Zodiac keys. The keys clinked together as she clenched them in her fist, staring up at the massive Eclipse Gate. 

The walls groaned as the castle opened up around her, giving her a clear view of the night sky, of the shifting shadows. Ironic, really, that there would be a lunar eclipse tonight. Shivers raced down her spine, and her fingers tightened around the keys. 

Was she really going to do this? 

Already, she could hear Hisui addressing the kingdom, asking for the guilds’ assistance should the plan go awry. 

Yukino steeled herself. She would not let Hisui down. 

She placed the first key into the Gate. 

* * *

“Guilds of Fiore,” Hisui began as the castle opened up behind her, the Eclipse Gate rising from the lower levels for the first time in hundreds of years. “I ask that you lend me your strength and loyalty, if only for this one night.” She hoped that the magic she used was enough to get her voice loud enough that all the wizards in the capital could hear it. 

“Tonight, the kingdom is going to attack the black dragon of destruction, Acnologia.” She clasped her hands together. “Please, should our plan fail and we do not kill the dragon, I beg that you protect the capital.” She knew how particular guilds were, how hard it was to inspire their loyalty. That wasn’t to say that guild wizards  _ weren’t _ loyal, but they were loyal to  _ each other, _ not the kingdom as a whole, not really. They were wild, and untamable. She was essentially asking a pack of wolves to guard sheep. “Protect the citizens that do not manage to evacuate. Rally on me, at the castle.” 

She wished she could gauge a reaction from them, but all she could do was hope. “There is no guarantee that a battle will happen,” she continued. “But if it does, I know you are the strongest Fiore has to offer.” Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, countless others. “I  _ need _ your help. The royal family has always supported guilds, and we will continue to do so. So please.” 

Hisui took a deep breath. “Fight for me.” 

* * *

Kagura waved the medic away, sitting up straight as she heard Princess Hisui’s voice echo over the capital. 

“Miss, you really should—” the medic began. 

Kagura glared at him. “I’m fine.” She pushed herself up, using her sword as a crutch. 

The medic rolled his eyes. “Whatever. What-fucking-ever. I’m done with you guild bastards. Bleed out for all I care.” He waved her off and walked away.

Kagura scoffed. She needed to get to Milliana and the rest of Mermaid Heel, before whatever infernal plan the princess was talking about was enacted. 

She knew she was in no condition to fight. Hell, she could barely  _ walk, _ thanks to Minerva, damn her. But, even though she had no idea what Hisui was really even talking about, she knew she could not leave a city this large defenseless if there was something she could do about it. 

As long as she drew breath, Kagura would protect the innocent. 

* * *

“Lyon?” Chelia whispered, her voice shaky. “That dragon… Acnologia, isn’t that the one—”

“That killed Fairy Tail?” Lyon grimaced. “Yeah.” 

She shuddered. That dragon was going to attack the capital? And if Hisui’s  _ plan _ didn’t work, they would have to  _ fight _ it. Fight the monster that managed to wipe out Fairy Tail, the wizards that everyone else had just lost to. 

“I’m scared,” she admitted. 

Lyon gave her shoulder a light squeeze, before forcing himself up. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s head towards the castle, everyone else will be headed that way. And the princess is right about one thing. Rallying is better than trying to fight that thing alone.” 

Chelia nodded. She didn’t know about anyone else, but she would like to be near a dragon slayer should a dragon arrive. 

And Fairy Tail had an overabundance of those. 

* * *

“Uh… Mira’s cutting it a little close, ain’t she?” Gray asked. “Why the hell haven’t they dealt with Hisui and that damn plan of hers yet?” 

Erza forced herself up, ignoring the dull throbbing pain in her leg. The medics had done their best, but they were nowhere near the skill level of Wendy or Porlyusica. “I don’t know. They must have run into some trouble.” She grimaced, wondering what in the hell could have happened that would have Mirajane and a team like hers struggling. 

“Erza, you should stay down!” Natsu cautioned, dashing over to try and force her back down. 

She shook her head. “I’m fighting.” If Mirajane’s team didn’t manage to stop the princess, the  _ last _ thing Erza was going to do was let everyone else fight for her. She didn’t know if Acnologia would come, or if it was some other threat, but she could sense a battle coming. And she  _ would _ be on the front lines. “You think I wouldn’t, Natsu?” 

He sighed and shook his head. “You know I can’t stop you.” 

“Alright,” Laxus grumbled. “Let’s head towards the castle.” 

Erza started limping in that direction, with the rest of her team following. It was going to be a long night. 

“Wait… what–what are you doing?” 

Erza glanced over her shoulder. “Fighting?” 

Sting stared at them with wide eyes. “You’re in no condition to do that! Fighting is a suicide run for you!” 

Erza scoffed. “I’ve fought in worse conditions.” Sure, it wasn’t  _ ideal, _ but she could manage. 

“But why would you fight for the kingdom?” he asked. “The hell have they ever done for us?”

“It’s not for the  _ kingdom,” _ Gray said. “I’d never fight for them. Fuck ‘em. This is for all the damn people that aren’t gonna be able to get out of this city fast enough if it goes to hell.” 

Natsu hummed in agreement. 

Awful realization washed over Sting. “I’m coming, too.” 

Gajeel grinned. “It’ll be nice fightin’ with you, rather than punching you.” 

Erza couldn’t help but smile as Sting joined them. Natsu and Gajeel were obviously thrilled by it. Natsu shoved against his brother’s shoulder. “It’ll be just like when we were kids and would gang up on Gajeel!” he exclaimed. 

Gajeel rolled his eyes. 

“Milliana?” Erza asked. 

Milliana glanced up, her ears drooping. “I’ll be right behind you. I just need a minute.” 

“Okay then.” Erza motioned for them to hurry up. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

“Ultear, I think it’s time to employ desperate measures,” Jellal said as soon as Hisui’s announcement ended. “I think we’re going to be too late to stop that Gate from opening.” 

Ultear grimaced. “You might be right, but you can’t seriously be—” 

“I’ve never been more serious.” He shoved through the frenzied crowds, panicked by Hisui’s announcement. Everyone that wasn’t a wizard was desperately trying to flee. “I mean, we always talked about recruiting them.” He shrugged. 

“As a joke!” Ultear snapped. 

Jellal laughed. “This will be a good way to introduce ourselves.” 

“The council won’t listen to you.” 

“There’s that man, Mest,” he argued. “The one Meredy looked into.” 

She shook her head. “He won’t listen to you either!” 

“I think I can convince him. Especially considering they’re going to want all the dragon slayers they can get their hands on in the next few hours,” he said. 

Ultear huffed. “Whatever. But  _ I’m _ going to find Meredy, and see if I still can’t stop that Gate from opening in the first place.” 

Jellal stopped and grabbed her hand. “Don’t die. Either of you.” 

She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. “What do you take me for?  _ You _ have fun convincing the council to release a fucking Oracion Seis member.” 

* * *

Loke didn’t know how to explain. The dread and frenzied panic that had come over him while he was talking with Aries in the Celestial Spirit realm, some instinct in him  _ screaming _ that Lucy and Cana were in danger. 

It hadn’t been enough. He wasn’t fast enough to save her. 

“Lucy…” He ran forward and fell next to her mangled body, tuning out the sounds of conflict as Rogue got back up and Mirajane and… and Lucy attacked him. “What…” 

“It’s not her,” Cana said, wildly shaking her head. “That wasn’t her, that wasn’t her, that wasn’t her.” She forced herself back to her feet. “Mira! Lucy! Get out of here!” 

Lucy whipped around, her eyes wide.  _ “What!?” _

Cana already had her cards ready. “Loke and I will take care of him. You two go find Lisanna and everyone else and figure out why the hell Hisui’s still opening that damned Gate!” 

Loke ripped his gaze away from the corpse. He didn’t care what Cana said, that was  _ Lucy. _ Tears built in his eyes. He’d failed his Master.  _ Again. _ “Mira, do as Cana says,” he said. “We’ll handle him.” Light built in his palm. 

Mirajane glared at him as she turned and sprinted down the hall. “You two better know what you’re fucking doing!” she said. “Lucy! Come on!” 

“But—” Lucy began to protest. 

Loke released the light, blasting Rogue right in the chest.  _ “GO!” _ he shouted. “You’re the one he’s after!” 

Lucy groaned, but she turned to follow Mirajane. “If you die, I’ll kill you both!” she called over her shoulder. 

Rogue rolled his eyes. “All you’re doing is speeding up your own demise. You can’t save her.” He glanced between Loke and Cana. “All of this because of a pathetic celestial spirit wizard who’s only worth something because of her damn keys.” 

Cana launched an attack towards him. “You take that back!” 

Loke bounded forward to land a hit while Rogue was distracted with dodging Cana’s attack. Rogue dodged Cana’s magic with ease, twisting around to grab Loke’s wrist. 

Loke tried to jerk away, but Rogue’s writhing shadows began to burrow into his wrist, clawing at his skin. He grit his teeth to keep from screaming. 

Rogue leaned in close, baring his teeth in a horrific smile. “I have no quarrel with you, spirit. It’s Fairy Tail and the humans of Fiore I want dead. Go back to your realm.” 

_ Humans? _ He jerked back. “I won’t abandon Fairy Tail to you, bastard!” 

Rogue sighed. “Very well, then.” Shadows swarmed over Loke, and this time, he couldn’t bite back his scream. 

“Fuck off, bitch!” Cana grabbed a handful of Rogue’s hair, and kicked him in the groin as hard as she possibly could. 

Rogue gasped and let go of Loke, stumbling backwards. If he hadn’t just killed Lucy, Loke might have felt a little bad for him. 

Cana placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward. “What do you think of that, asshole? You’re lucky I didn’t have a knife or else I’d—” 

Shadows burst from the ground, wrapping around Cana as she writhed. 

“Cana!” Loke lunged towards her. 

Rogue held his hand out, stopping him. “Get any closer, and I’ll have them tear her apart.” 

Loke froze, even as Cana struggled and spit and cursed, clawing at the shadows that raced over her. 

“Go back to your realm,  _ Leo,” _ Rogue said again. “Truly, I  _ don’t _ want to kill you. I just want the ones that took Minerva, Sting, and Frosch from me.” 

Loke shook his head. “I don’t think you understand. I’m not Leo anymore. I haven’t been since I was banished. I’m Loke of Fairy Tail now. So if the guild’s your enemy,  _ I’m _ your enemy.” 

Rogue sighed and shook his head. “Then have it your way,  _ Loke.” _

The shadows around Cana spread faster, swarming over her. They burst up from the ground, wrapping around Loke’s legs, crawling up him, pricking at his skin. 

What the hell  _ was _ Rogue? Why were his shadows so dense and thick that even Loke’s light couldn’t dispel them? Was this really how he was going to die? 

The shadows disintegrated, melting into nothing. 

“Well, well, well, I wasn’t sure if my Arc of Time ability would work on shadows, but it’s nice to see that it does.” 

Cana fell to the floor with a little “oof” as the shadows disappeared, and Loke whipped around, coming face to face with Ultear Milkovich. 

“So  _ you’re _ the one filling Hisui’s head with nonsense about the Eclipse Gate,” Ultear said. 

Loke frowned.  _ Eclipse Gate?  _ Like that legend Yukino had mentioned? What the hell was going on here? 

Rogue hissed. “The time witch.” 

Ultear bowed dramatically. “The one and only.” She looked up, and the intensity in her glare almost had Loke stumbling backwards. “So it’s pissing me the hell off that you’re messing with my time.” 

Rogue glanced between the three of them, then melted into the shadows. “You’re too late anyways.” 

Loke fell backwards, landing next to Cana as Rogue disappeared. 

“Holy fuck,” Cana said. “Did you just make him run away?” 

Ultear sighed. “I doubt it. He likely just thought it wasn’t worth the effort it would take to kill all three of us. Now, where are Meredy and the Eclipse Gate?” 

Cana shook her head. “No damn idea.” 

Ultear pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m never working with you goddamn fairies ever again.” 

* * *

“Princess Hisui! Yukino! You can’t open that Gate!” Lisanna shouted as she sprinted towards them, Wendy, Juvia, and Meredy on her heels. “It’s not what you think it is!” 

Yukino froze, the last of the Zodiac keys in her hand, ready to insert into the Gate. 

“What are you talking about?” Hisui asked, her eyes hard. 

Lisanna ran up to her, panting. She  _ had _ to change their minds. “You don’t know what you’re doing! Acnologia isn’t coming! That Gate—It’s for time travel! If you open it, you’re going to destroy  _ everything!”  _

Hisui frowned, her resolve never wavering. “And why should I believe what you have to say?” 

But Yukino took a step back from the Gate. 

“Please!” Wendy begged as she grabbed onto Hisui’s dress. “Please! Everyone’s going to  _ die _ if you do this!” 

“No.” Hisui pried Wendy away. “We have to do this. His predictions were all right. He wouldn’t be wrong about this.” 

“I have no idea who the fuck you’re talking about,” Meredy said. “But we’re not saying they’re wrong, we’re saying they’re  _ using _ you.” 

Hisui scoffed. “I can’t trust you over him.” She looked over her shoulder. “Yukino, do it!” 

Yukino took a shaky breath. “Yes, M’lady.” 

“No!” Lisanna shouted. 

Juvia ran towards her, trying to stop her. 

Yukino put the final key in the Gate. 

Lucy and Mirajane sprinted towards them.  _ “NO!”  _ Lucy screamed. 

Yukino turned the key. 

* * *

As soon as they reached the castle, Natsu grabbed onto Gray’s shoulder, shudders running through his body as a sickeningly familiar magic raced through the air. 

“What the hell is that?” Gajeel whispered. “What…” He pressed a hand against his head. 

Sting went stiff. 

Natsu heard his guildmates screaming. Lucy, Mirajane, Wendy, Lisanna, Juvia… pleading, and  _ begging.  _

The giant structure at the base of the castle swung open, ever so slowly. 

“Anna,” Sting gasped, before shaking his head, confusion swimming in his eyes.

An unearthly roar rang through the night, and a giant, clawed foot emerged from the Gate. 

“What the hell is that? What the…” Gray backed into Natsu. 

Natsu blinked back tears. It wasn’t Igneel, or any of the others, but it had been so long since he heard a roar like that, smelt that reptilian scent. 

Acnologia had been death. Nothing but death and blood. 

This… this was a  _ true _ dragon. 

A real, flesh and blood _dragon._

Despite everything, the fear swirling in the air, the feel before a battle, Natsu couldn’t stop the giddy feeling spreading through his chest. 

He smiled. 

* * *

Hisui fell to her knees, ignoring the Fairy Tail mages sprinting past her and towards the Gate, towards the monsters clawing their way out of the past. 

_ Dragons. _

Beasts of legend that had been dead and gone for centuries, save for Acnologia. 

She’d brought them back, brought their destruction down upon  _ her people. _

Tears streamed down her cheeks. 

“What have I done?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As excited as I am for the upcoming Eclipse-centric chapters (and Ultear's Lost Ages chapter oh my goooood I'm so ready), I'm also getting super geared up for Tartaros, which is going to start after this arc and I am so goddamn ready yall


	30. Celestial Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Yukino close the Eclipse Gate, the capital is thrown into chaos, and Natsu confronts Rogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer wait. I started a new job, so I've been doing training all week, turning in documents, etc. But now I have a more permanent schedule so hopefully I'll be posting more regularly again

Yukino fell backwards, her entire body shaking as she watched the massive creatures emerge from the Gate. The ground shook beneath their feet, and their roars were so loud it made Yukino’s ears hurt. 

She needed to  _ move. _ To get away, fight, she didn’t even know, she just knew she had to  _ move. _

But she couldn’t. Her body was locked up, frozen. Even as people screamed, as the dragons attacked. They clawed their way out of the past, into their city. The Fairy Tail wizards ran towards the Gate, before freezing themselves, overwhelmed by the monstrous things. 

_ Dragons. _ Even their skeletons beneath the arena had been terrifying. But that was  _ nothing _ compared to the living, breathing beasts. 

“Form ranks!” Erza shouted, raising her sword and motioning for any wizards nearby to join her. “Dragon slayers on the front lines! 

Tears streamed down Yukino’s face as she watched the Fairy Tail wizards join up with Erza. “How…” she whispered. “How can they win against those things?” A single dragon had decimated their entire guild, and now who knew how many were going to attack. “Run. Run. We need to run…” Her heart pounded so heavily she could feel her veins pulsing. She’d never been so scared in her  _ life, _ never felt such crushing magic and despair. “We’re going to die… I’m going to die…” She held a shaking hand to her cheek. “I’m not ready.” She still hadn’t found her sister, she still hadn’t found a place to call home. She  _ didn’t want to die now!  _

Someone grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. “Get up.” 

Yukino stared up at Lucy with wide eyes. “Huh?” 

Lucy set her jaw. “We’re going to close that Gate, before any more dragons come out. But that’s more magic power than I have. I  _ need _ your help.” 

How could they possibly do this? “But—”

Lucy grabbed the collar of her jacket. “It’s time you got off your ass, Yukino! Learn to fight back!” She grit her teeth and tugged her closer. “We’re not gonna let people die if we can stop it,  _ understand me!? _ So you’re gonna summon your goddamn spirits, and we’re gonna fix this mess before I have to watch everyone die!” 

_ Fight back? _ She fought all the time! She— _ Did _ she? She let her sister go. She let Sabertooth kick her out. She followed Hisui’s every order, even when they didn’t make sense or she thought they were wrong. She was ready to roll over and let these dragons have everything. 

_ Fight back!  _

Yukino grabbed Lucy’s wrist, and forced her legs to stop shaking. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

Sting didn’t have a spot in Fairy Tail’s ranks as they closed in around Erza, following her lead with an ease that Sabertooth had never had. But Natsu and Gajeel left him a place in between them. 

He knew Erza was barking orders, organizing them, trying to get control of the situation, but he barely heard her. It took everything in him just to stay focused as he stared at the dragons emerging from the Gate, trying to fight back the fuzziness in his head. 

His shifting memories. Memories shifting so fast that he didn’t know what they changed to before they reverted back. 

_ Gates, Gates, Gates, Weisslogia, Gates, Gates, and more Gates, a blonde woman, Gates, Gates, Gates.  _

“Wendy, I want you on—” Erza began, before cutting herself off. “Lucy! What are you  _ doing!?” _

Lucy sprinted towards the Gate, with Yukino right on her heels. 

“Lucy!” Juvia shouted. “Watch out!” 

Erza growled and shook her head. “I want a slayer on each dragon!” she commanded. 

Sting considered pointing out that there were already six dragons, with a seventh one emerging from the Gate, and that there were only five dragon slayers present, but he decided against it. 

Damn, it would be nice if Rogue got his ass over here. 

Fairy Tail sprang forward, just as Lucy and Yukino began to weave around the dragons feet. Sting took a deep breath, and bounded into the fight after them. 

* * *

“Cana…” Loke clutched Lucy’s limp corpse, desperately trying to ignore the blood that soaked into his clothes. “What happened? Is she… Is she really…” He knew he had seen her,  _ talked _ to her, but was that really Lucy? Because the body in his arms felt really fucking real. 

Cana let out a shaky breath as she leaned against him, but pointedly  _ not _ looking at Lucy’s body. “That’s not her.” 

Ultear scoffed. “Stop lying to yourselves. Nothing good ever comes of it. That  _ is _ her. You’re just lucky enough that it was the future version of her, not the present. Now get up. We need to get out there.” 

“What does that  _ mean?” _ Loke demanded. How could she have come back from the future! All he cared about was the fact that his Master was  _ dead. _ He clutched her body against his chest, as the last of her warmth faded away. 

Why did his Masters always have to die? Why was he never good enough? 

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Ultear said. “That is your Master, but from the future. However, she is alive and well because the version of her in the correct time is alive. But, she  _ won’t _ be if you don’t get off your ass and start fighting. Understand me?” 

He clutched the body tighter. “I can’t just leave her here, though.” 

“Loke, she’s right.” Cana forced herself back up. “We can’t let that fucking shadow bitch get away with this. We can… We’ll come back for the body later, okay?” She brushed her thumb across the corner of her eye, catching the tears before they rolled down her cheeks. “We have to go.” 

Loke ran his hand through her blonde hair, one more time, before nodding, and gently laying the body back down. “I know. Let’s—” He felt the familiar twinge in his chest of being summoned. 

It was odd. He’d never been summoned from a different point in the human world. The pull wasn’t as strong, but still there. “Sorry,” he managed to tell Cana, before Cana and Ultear faded away, and he was landed in the middle of absolute chaos. 

Around him, the members of Fairy Tail screamed and struggled, desperately trying to follow Erza’s commands. Giant dragons trampled through the city, hardly bothered at all by the wizards doing everything they could to slow them down. 

“Lucy!” he gasped, running forward to pull her into a hug. He buried his face in her shoulder, drinking in her scent. “You’re okay!” 

She squirmed out of his grasp. “Loke! Not right now!” She put her hands on his shoulders. “We need to close that gate! Right now! Before anymore dragons can get out!” She nodded towards the Gate. “This thing runs on celestial spirit magic. I need you to help. Okay? Please!” 

He forced himself to nod. “Y-Yeah.” He could figure all of this out later. Sort his feelings out about Lucy, wrap his head around that. 

Right now, he could be a loyal servant. Just doing what he was told. Like a celestial spirit was supposed to. 

He could close that Gate. 

* * *

Rogue sensed the Gate close, probably thanks to those damn celestial spirit wizards. He couldn’t say he minded too much though. Seven dragons had made it through the Gate, and that was more than enough to kill the Fairy Tail wizards. Hell, after they were all dead, he could use the Zodiac keys to reopen the damn Gate himself. 

All he had to do was kill that infernal guild and all the goddamn humans crawling around Fiore like maggots. 

“What do you think, Minerva?” He looked up at the blood red moon. “I’ll kill them all. Just like they killed you.” 

Fairy Tail and their damned feud with Tartaros, Zeref, and Acnologia. 

Sting never should have gotten them involved. 

Then Minerva wouldn’t have been murdered. Frosch wouldn’t have been collateral. Sting wouldn’t have died. 

Everyone that he cared about would  _ still be here. _

He squeezed his eyes shut. He knew Sting, Frosch, and Minerva were out there right now. He could find them. After everyone else was dead, he would find them, and they could be together, like they were  _ supposed _ to be.

He melted into a shadow, slipping through the chaos as the dragons tramped through the city, while the wizards were still desperately trying to organize a counter attack. He needed to take control himself. The dragons trusted him, knew that he was one of their own now, but he didn’t trust them not to accidentally kill Sting, Minerva, or Frosch without him to guide them. 

And he couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t live through losing them again. 

* * *

It wasn’t hard to find Mest, thankfully. 

Jellal had the sneaking suspicion that it was because he desperately wanted to be involved in the conflict, so he followed it, drawn to it, even if he ultimately did nothing. 

“Mest.” He stepped out of the shadows and pulled his hood back. “I need a favor.”

To his credit, Mest didn’t react. His face was completely blank. “Why should I do anything for you? I don’t know you.” 

And that was fair. Jellal was basically a criminal, and was far worse than most actual criminals anyways. The only people who had anything to do with him were those who already had a personal connection with him. “This place is about to go to hell, and I think you know it, Mest. Trust me, you’re going to want to heed my advice.” 

He frowned. “Why could you possibly need from me? I’m a useless alcoholic.” 

“You’re in close with the council, and Fairy Tail, whether you want to admit it or not,” he said. “Those are two very powerful groups to have influence in.” 

Mest’s frown deepened. “I haven’t been a Fairy Tail member in years, and I haven’t worked for the council in just as long. I can’t help you. Besides, you have stronger ties to Fairy Tail than I have at this point.” 

Jellal shook his head. “I don’t want your Fairy Tail ties, I want your council ties.” He leveled Mest with a cool, steady glare. “I want you to free Cobra of the Oracion Seis.” 

Mest’s eyes widened, before he threw back his head and laughed. “That’s fucking rich! You want me to get pardons for your Crime Sorciere lackeys while I’m at it?” 

Jellal almost pointed out, that if anything, he was  _ Ultear’s _ lackey, but he decided against it. “No,” he deadpanned. “I just want Cobra. Just for tonight. Then you can have him back.” 

Mest’s snickering silenced. “You’re serious.” 

“Deadly.” 

“Why?”

Right on cue, a dragon soared overhead and  _ roared.  _

“You’re going to want all the dragon slayers you can find,” Jellal said. 

Mest nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” And he disappeared. 

Jellal let out a breath. It was out of his hands now. Whether Cobra would or wouldn’t join the battle, was up to Mest now. 

* * *

“Get down!” Sting barreled into Natsu, knocking him to the ground just as a wave of magic blasted over them. They rolled, debris crumbling around them. Natsu wrapped his wings around his brother, doing his best to protect him. 

Fairy Tail had been separated. Natsu had no idea where everyone had gone. As soon as Lucy and Yukino had managed to close the Gate with the help of their celestial spirits, everything had gone to absolute hell. The dragons scattered, wreaking havoc on the city. Wizards from every guild present scrambled, doing everything they could to contain the damage, but they weren’t gaining any ground. 

And then all these  _ little _ dragons had appeared, and the chaos got even  _ worse. _ Anyone who hadn’t been separated was. Natsu had no idea what had happened to Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Wendy. The only person anywhere was Sting. 

“What’s going on?” Sting gasped. “I don’t understand. My  _ head.” _

Natsu curled tighter around him as the world shook. Strangely, he knew what Sting meant. Something wasn’t  _ right.  _ It was like there was something he should remember, but just  _ couldn’t, _ no matter what he did. 

Suddenly Sting stiffened. “Rogue! I smell Rogue!” He squirmed out of Natsu’s grasp. “I have to make sure he’s okay!” 

Natsu lifted his head, sniffing, trying to pinpoint Rogue’s scent. “Wait.” He grabbed Sting again. “Something ain’t right.” 

It was Rogue’s scent, there was no doubt about that, but it was wreathed in shadows, and was a lot more… dragon-like than it had been. Taking on that draconic edge, that Natsu knew his own scent had done during his transformation. “What the hell?” He shook his head, then shoved Sting down the road. “Go find the rest of your guild, or mine! I don’t know! I’ll find Rogue!” 

“Wha—Natsu!” Sting protested. “I have to—” 

Natsu ignored him, snapping his wings out and taking off before Sting managed to grab him again. 

“Natsu!” Sting shouted again. “Dammit!” 

The carnage looked even worse from above. The city was on fire, buildings crumbled, he could hear wizards screaming. It took everything in him not to go searching for his guild, but he knew they could handle themselves. Right now, he needed to figure out what the hell was going on with Rogue. 

* * *

Rogue knew his siblings were going to cause problems. 

When had they not? Causing problems was what they were best at. 

However, he could admit, he hadn’t been expecting Natsu to slam into him while he was on the back of a dragon. 

Damn those fucking  _ wings. _

“What the hell are you?” Natsu snarled, pinning Rogue down against the dragon’s scales. 

Gently, Rogue grabbed his brother’s wrist. “I’m Rogue.” 

Natsu’s snarl deepened. “No, you’re not. You might smell like him, but you’re fucking  _ not.” _

Rogue stared up at Natsu. He was one of the few Fairy Tail members that he didn’t blame. His brother was just as much of a victim as Sting, Minerva, and Frosch had been. They were  _ using _ him, before he became too much for them. Before the last little bits of his humanity faded. 

Rogue had watched it all play out. Tartaros had ruined so many lives.  _ Fairy Tail _ had ruined so many lives. 

If he could help it, Rogue wasn’t going to let his siblings be betrayed like that again. “I don’t want to hurt you, Natsu,” he said. 

“Shut up!” Natsu tightened his grip, letting his claws sink in, but Rogue didn’t fight him off, even when blood began to trickle down his skin. “You’re the one who did all this, aren’t you? The one who brought these dragons!” 

Rogue nodded. “I am.” 

“It’s  _ your _ fault all this is happening!” Smoke clouded around them as Natsu’s chest heaved.  _ “Why!?” _

“We’re dragons, Natsu,” he said. “We don’t belong with them. They’ll betray us all.”  _ Minerva with a sword ran through her. Frosch’s limp body. Chunks of Sting’s body. Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel in chains.  _ “Trust me. I’ve seen it. Tartaros and Fairy Tail will destroy us all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super excited for the next chapter. So many fun things are gonna happen!! Cobra! Scenes of the future and what happened to Rogue! Plus some other fun things I'm gonna make you speculate on!! Anyways, it's gonna be a great fucking chapter


	31. Future's Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's revealed what happened to Rogue in the future, and Fairy Tail struggles against the dragons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy it! 
> 
> (I would say I'm sorry for how awful I was to everyone, but I definitely am not)

_ Magnolia didn’t exist anymore. It was nothing more than rubble, a crater of destruction where the gorgeous town had once been. Fires burned away any trace of it. Above, the sky swirled, like a great storm was brewing, ready to completely annihilate whatever might be left. The stench of blood and death was heavy in the air, so thick that Rogue had to fight back a gag with every breath.  _

_ This was Hell. Hell on Earth. The demons had clawed their way out of the brimstone to torment them all here. And they weren’t from Tartaros.  _

_ The Faces were minutes away from activating.  _

_ Rogue thought they should let them.  _

_ Without magic… without magic this wouldn’t be happening.  _

_ “Minerva, please.” He clutched her body tighter. “Please! Please wake up!” He cradled her head, careful of the horns she wore like a crown now. “You can’t be dead. You  _ can’t _ be!” Not after he had searched so hard for her, after he had finally gotten through to her.  _

_ She was supposed to come back to Sabertooth with him. She was going to be  _ better. _ She wanted that, she wanted to learn.  _

_ But Erza Scarlet hadn’t given her the chance.  _

_ Sticky blood dripped from the hole in Minerva’s chest, torn through her by Erza’s shining sword, even as Minerva begged, as she  _ apologized. __

_ Erza didn’t care. All she cared about was her vengeance. Her sick, twisted form of justice, for anyone who dared to hurt her guild. Anyone she didn’t care about.  _

_ He pressed his forehead to Minerva’s. “Open your eyes. Please.”  _

_ She didn’t move. Her heart was silent. Her breath didn’t tickle his face.  _

_ The shadows stirred.  _

_ Around him, the battle raged on. Acnologia and Igneel tore into each other above, their roars melding with the thunder that shook the world. He knew that somewhere nearby, Sting and Natsu struggled against Mard Geer. The Fairy Tail wizards tore into any demon that dared to challenge them, uncaring about the collateral damage.  _

_ About who those demons had once been.  _

_ The shadows started to whisper. Rogue fought them back, albeit weakly. He didn’t care anymore. He was going to die here. And if he didn’t, he didn’t care if the shadows took him. What would he have to live for?  _

_ Minerva was dead. Frosch was missing. Sting wasn’t going to last much longer.  _

_ Rogue dropped Minerva’s body, and  _ screamed.

* * *

Mest honestly couldn’t believe that Lahar was going to do this. He was really going to let an Oracion Seis member go free. 

Then again, with the capital crumbling beneath the might of dragons, it was a lot simpler than it seemed. A dragon slayer was a dragon slayer, regardless of what they had once done. All that mattered now was killing the dragons that threatened Fiore. 

“How are we expected to recapture him?” Mest asked. 

Lahar sighed. “I’ll worry about that when the time comes. It’s unlikely we’ll even survive this to have to think about that at this point.” 

Mest grimaced, not liking how true that seemed. 

Even now, he could feel the palace groaning and shaking above them. Even every guild in Fiore wouldn’t be enough. Even with seven dragon slayers, they weren’t going to make it through this. 

Lahar stopped in front of Cobra’s cell. “It’s your lucky day, Cobra. You’re getting released.” 

The dragon slayer cracked his eye open. “Doesn’t seem lucky to me at all.” He slouched further down the wall he was leaned against. “You’re sending me to an early execution.” 

Mest shuddered. Of course, he knew about Cobra’s abilities. Even with magic dampening cuffs, he would still be able to hear every little thing that was going on. The destruction and struggle above, not to mention their thoughts on the matter. 

Lahar unlocked the cell door. “So you would rather sit down here and wait for the palace to collapse in on you?” 

Cobra grinned, putting those unsettling sharp teeth that dragon slayers had on full display. “I never said that, now did I?” He stood up, and held his wrists out, patiently waiting for Lahar to remove the cuffs. 

He hesitated, but took off the cuffs. 

Cobra’s grin widened as he rubbed his wrists. “Point me in the direction of the nearest dragon.” 

Lahar sighed and turned to Mest. “Get him up there, please?” 

Mest nodded, and prepared to teleport Cobra and himself back into the battle. 

Lahar grabbed his shoulder. “Be careful. I’ll find you as soon as I can.” 

Despite everything, Mest couldn’t help but smile. It’d been a long time since he’d gotten to participate in a real fight. “I’ll be just fine.” 

* * *

_ Rogue stumbled through the carnage, his steps slow and unsteady, desperately trying to track Frosch’s scent. The shadows buzzed in his head, making it hard to focus. He just knew he needed to find her.  _

_ He stepped over a body, and he dimly recognized it as Juvia Lockser’s. Her head had nearly been torn clean off, hanging on by just a few tendons and strings of muscle. Her mouth hung open, stuck in a permanent scream. A necklace laid in the palm of her limp hand, a silver cross, slicked with blood.  _

_ Rogue bit back a hiss. He wondered if her death was one of the things that had triggered Fairy Tail’s unforgiving rage. He wondered who else had died.  _

_ There was no way Minerva and Juvia were the only ones.  _

_ He continued on his way, following the trail of broken, frozen bodies, shattered so thoroughly they could never hope to be put back together. Tartaros demons, who never stood a chance.  _

_ “You promised… You  _ promised!”

_ Rogue froze, his head snapping up as he tried to pinpoint which direction the conversation was coming from.  _

_ “I can’t! Please! I don’t want to kill you!”  _

_ Rogue forced himself to move faster, scrambling towards his brother’s voice. He’d never heard Natsu like that… So distraught, heard him  _ begging. __

_ Rogue climbed up a hunk of rubble, finding Gray and Natsu on the other side.  _

_ They stood in a small crater, with ice slowly but steadily creeping out from the center. Gray stood in the middle, his entire body shaking. One hand was pressed against his face, and Rogue noticed the talons that tipped his fingers now, and the horns that adorned his head. “You promised…” he whispered. “You promised you would stop me…”  _

_ Natsu stood a few paces away, frozen and covered in blood. “I-I-I…. Gray… you’re my best friend! I can’t  _ kill _ you!”  _

_ Gray let his hand fall from his face, revealing two solid black eyes. “Then I’ll kill them all.” He began to laugh, a sick, twisted sound. “Just like they killed her! They took her from me!  _ No one _ deserves to have _ anything _ if I can’t have her!”  _

_ “Gray,” Natsu whimpered. But he took a step forward, and sparks began to flicker.  _

_ The ice spread faster, creeping up the rubble Rogue stood on.  _

_ Gray fell to his knees, his laughter dying away into a snarl. He fell forward, and his talons screeched against the ice. “I’ll kill everyone.”  _

_ Natsu sprang forward, tackling Gray. “No! This isn’t you!”  _

_ Surprisingly, Gray didn’t fight back. He let Natsu pin him, just staring up at him with wide eyes. “Please,” he whispered. “While I… While there’s still a little bit of me left… Before I…”  _

_ Natsu shook his head, and even from his distance, Rogue could smell the salt from his tears. “No. No, you wouldn’t hurt—”  _

_ “I already did!” Gray roared. “Levy and Lisanna were there! They were there! And now… And now they’re gone!”  _

_ Natsu went rigid.  _

_ Rogue frowned. He hadn’t seen Lisanna or Levy's bodies. But… if they had been scattered among all those frozen bodies… it was entirely possible he just hadn’t recognized them.  _

_ “They’re dead, Natsu!” Gray shouted. “They’re dead, and I kill them! I killed Lisanna, and I  _ liked  _ it—”  _

_ There was a blaze of fire so bright Rogue had to cover his eyes.  _

_ He didn’t see what happened, but he heard Natsu  _ scream. 

_ The light faded away, and Rogue dared to look back down. Natsu cradled Gray’s limp body, a hole burned clean through his chest. His ragged scream turned into a heartbroken roar.  _

_ His best friend. His girlfriend. Both dead.  _

_ Tears rolled down his cheeks as Rogue realized what his brother had just lost.  _

_ The ice melted away, revealing a tiny body across the crater.  _

_ Rogue’s heart stopped. “No… No, no, no. Not her, too.” He skidded down the rubble, sprinting across the crater. Natsu didn’t even pay any attention to him.  _

_ Rogue kneeled next to Frosch, her little body frozen stiff.  _

_ Who knew how long she had been trapped in Gray’s ice.  _

_ Gently, Rogue picked up the cat and held her to his chest, desperately trying to warm her up, even though he  _ knew _ it was too late.  _

_ His broken cries joined Natsu’s, as they both held the bodies of their best friends.  _

_ Rogue stopped trying to fight the shadows.  _

* * *

Sting wasn’t sure how he ended up fighting a dragon one on one, but he knew he couldn’t back down now. 

Even if he knew he was going to die here. 

None of his attacks did a damn thing against the dragon. It laughed and mocked him as he tried to take it down. 

It was  _ playing _ with him, like a cat toying with a mouse before it finally killed it. 

Sting had no idea where his family was, if they were okay. He hadn’t seen Rogue since the Games had started that morning, and Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel had all scattered, and were now likely fighting dragons of their own. 

He was never going to see them again. 

* * *

_ Rogue didn’t know how long they had both been there when Wendy found them.  _

_ But it wasn’t the Wendy that he knew.  _

_ She prowled through the chaos like a predator, commanding fear and respect. Her magic power was smothering. A pair of white, feather-and-scale wings sprouted from her back, just a little smaller than Natsu’s wings. Shining, white scales covered her forearms, ending with cuffs of fluffy fur around her wrists. Her shins and ankles were the same. Her hair was wild, with strips of pink amongst the dark blue. Her pupils had turned to slits, and a feral glaze had come over her eyes. Two stripes of white scales striked up both cheeks. “Rogue,” she growled as she stalked towards him, completely ignoring Natsu still sobbing over Gray’s body. “Where are the rest of the Tartaros demons?”  _

_ He stared at her with wide eyes. This… this wasn’t his sister. Never mind whatever had happened to her body, Wendy didn’t… She should  _ never _ have such a strong aura of bloodlust around her. She would never ignore Natsu when he was so upset, would never ignore  _ Rogue _ when he was so upset. _

_ She snarled and grabbed his shoulders, her claws digging into his skin. “Tell me.  _ Right now!” _ She bared massive, blood-stained fangs. “I need to kill the rest of them.”  _

_ Frosch’s body slipped from his hands, falling to the ground at Wendy’s feet. His sister scoffed and kicked the body away.  _

_ “Snap out of it, Rogue! They’re just stupid fucking cats! Who cares if they’re dead!” she snapped. “All that matters is killing the things that killed them!”  _

She’s fallen to her instincts, _ he realized. Fallen so far that she wasn’t herself at all anymore. What could have possibly happened to cause this?  _

_ She scoffed. “Whatever. I’ll find them my damn self.” She stepped away from Rogue and towards Natsu. “Come on, Natsu.” She smiled. “Don’t you want revenge? Revenge for everyone they killed? Gray, Charle, Juvia, Lisanna, Levy, Laxus, Freed, Evergreen? Let’s find Gajeel, and kill them all. Just like they deserve.” She held her hand out.  _

_ Natsu let go of Gray’s body, and took it.  _

* * *

Wendy stared up at the dragon, recognizing it as the one whose ghost they’d summoned. 

The one who ate people. 

She set her jaw, forced her body to quit shaking, and raised her fists. “Princess Hisui, stay behind me. I’ll protect you.” 

She was alone, she had no backup. She’d been separated from everyone except the Princess, and as far as she knew, Hisui had no magic power. It was up to her to stop this dragon all by herself. 

“What!?” Hisui demanded. “You can’t fight that thing alone!” 

Wendy turned to give her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. I’m a dragon slayer. This is what I was made for!” 

She attacked. 

* * *

_ Rogue did not see his siblings again until after the battle.  _

_ And they were broken.  _

_ Their guild and home had been decimated. Half of Fairy Tail was dead, their best friends, their girlfriends, their Exceeds. The deaths of their parents were the final straw.  _

_ Wendy was lost to her instincts. Rogue had no idea how they had gotten their claws so deep into her, but she’d been worked into a frenzy, and with no more Tartaros demons to kill, she didn’t know what to direct it towards.  _

_ So she’d attacked the very few remaining council members who had showed up to try and contain the damage.  _

_ She managed to kill three of them before she was contained. Chained, muzzled, her magic dampened. She was little more than a thrashing, writhing animal.  _

_ Gajeel and Natsu weren’t far behind, but the horrifying part was that they didn’t fight back. They let the council take them, under the guise that dragon slayers were too dangerous.  _

_ Well, dragon slayers like  _ them, _ that were more dragon than human now. Even Gajeel had wings like his siblings now.  _

_ Rogue didn’t know how and why that had happened, but his siblings really were dragons now.  _

_ The council didn’t try and take him or Sting.  _

_ They said it wasn’t the same.  _

_ Fairy Tail didn’t try to stop them. Well… what was left of Fairy Tail. Erza, Mirajane, Cana, Lucy, Bixlow, Elfman, and a handful of other members.  _

_ All Erza did was walk up to Natsu, and pull him into a tight hug, ignoring his chains. “Did he suffer?” she asked.  _

_ Slowly, Natsu shook his head.  _

_ She pulled back. “I’ll kill Zeref and Acnologia for you. I swear it.”  _

_ Rogue forced down a snarl. Killing, killing, and more killing. It was all these people knew.  _

_ Maybe he needed to kill for them to understand…  _

_ Natsu nodded.  _

_ Erza stepped away, returning to the pathetic remnants of what had once been Fairy Tail.  _

_ “What are you doing!?” Sting demanded. “You can’t just let them take them!” He marched towards the council members. “I won’t let you have them! They didn’t do anything wrong!”  _

_ They did. They had killed and killed and killed. They had become monsters. Just like slayers were supposed to.  _

_ But Rogue didn’t tell Sting that.  _

_ Too weak and tired to truly fight back, Sting couldn’t do anything as their siblings were dragged away. For imprisonment, execution, Rogue didn’t even know.  _

_ He just knew that Fairy Tail had abandoned them, after Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel had given up so much for them.  _

_ This world deserved to burn for what it had put them all through…  _

* * *

Erza’s sword shook beneath the weight of the dragon that pinned her. Well… not a dragon. Not a  _ real _ one. Whatever these tiny ones were…. In small numbers, they should have been easy to defeat, but there were  _ so many. _ Not to mention how heavily she was injured when all of this had started. 

It was all she could do to keep this one from biting her head off. The sword shoved in its mouth was the only thing keeping it away. 

She sensed more of the little dragons closing in on her, surrounding her, ready to tear her into little pieces. 

She summoned another sword, and shoved it into the one pinning her, right into its neck. Blood bubbled and spurted from the wound as it jerked backwards with a shriek, before collapsing and bleeding out. 

Erza forced herself up on shaking legs and held her swords out. She counted five of the dragons surrounding her. 

One leapt for her. She jerked her swords up. 

Magic slammed into the dragon, and it fell to the ground with a  _ thud. _ The others fell to the same magic. 

Erza lowered her swords and shook her head, a fond smile on her face. “Jellal, I know it’s you.” 

Jellal stepped out of the shadows. “Sorry, I didn’t want to distract you.” 

Erza scoffed. “Idiot. Where’s the rest of Crime Sorciere? You shouldn’t be out here alone. It’s dangerous.” 

He stepped over one of the bodies. “I could say the same. Where’s Fairy Tail?” 

She let out a breath. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “We were separated in the chaos.” 

Jellal was quiet for a moment, then said, “They’ll be okay. They’re fighters.” 

She nodded. She knew he was right, but she still couldn’t help but worry. After all,  _ one _ dragon had killed them all, and now there were seven here, not to mention all these little ones. And she had no idea where anyone was, if they were all alone. “They’ll be okay,” she repeated. 

Jellal smiled. “Right.” 

Erza stared at him, tuning out the battle around her. 

They might die tonight. She had talked with Mirajane. She might never get another chance. “Jellal,” she said. “I think I am in love with you, and I would like to kiss you.” 

Jellal’s eyes widened. “W-What?” 

“If you don’t feel the same way, I understand, and I won’t bring it up again,” she said. “But I spoke with Mira, and she’s okay with this. So if you want—” 

Jellal closed the distance between them, grabbed the sides of her face, and pulled her into a kiss. 

It was rough, rushed. How could it not be, with everything that was going on around them? But Erza melted into the kiss all the same. She pulled him closer, burying her hands in his hair. She did her best to be careful of her pointed teeth, but she thought she might have nipped his lip at one point. 

Reluctantly, he pulled away. “I never thought—” he began. 

Erza stepped away and summoned her sword as she sensed more of the little dragons approaching. “Talk later! Right now we need to focus on this!” 

Jellal looked like he wanted to protest, but one of the dragons skittered over a pile of rubble, and he snapped his mouth shut. 

Maybe she shouldn’t have distracted him like that, but she couldn’t help it. 

If this really was the end, she wanted to have kissed him at least once. 

* * *

_ “Rogue, this isn’t you,” Sting said as he took a step towards him. “You don’t really want this.”  _

_ Shadows swirled around his body, whispering and whispering and whispering. _

Kill Fairy Tail before they kill Minerva.

Kill Fairy Tail before they kill Frosch. 

Kill Fairy Tail before they destroy everything. 

_ “Get out of my way, Sting,” he said. “Don’t make me hurt you, too.”  _

_ Sting shook his head. “I understand. I know… I know why you feel this way, but it’s not going to do anything! It won’t fix anything! You’re still going to feel this way!”  _

_ “I don’t think  _ you _ understand,” he said. With the Eclipse that the shadows whispered of, he could have everything back he lost, and kill everyone who had taken it from him in the first place.  _

_ It was the only thing he could do.  _

_ Sting raised his hands, light building in his palms. “I won’t let you do this, Rogue.”  _

_ Rogue still didn’t know exactly what happened. All he knew was that the shadows grew so noisy they were  _ deafening, _ and when they finally faded away, Sting was on the ground.  _

_ Dead.  _

_ But it was okay. Rogue could get him back.  _

_ All he needed was the Eclipse.  _

* * *

Milliana fought back a horrified gasp as she watched Erza kiss Jellal. She stumbled backwards, her back slamming into a wall as her hands came up to cover her mouth. 

Why would Erza  _ do _ that? How could Erza  _ forgive _ him, let alone  _ love _ him? 

She didn’t understand. 

* * *

_ Rogue cackled as he watched Cana burn, listened to her  _ scream.

_ She deserved it, for getting in his way, just like the rest of her damn guild.  _

_ Unfortunately, she’d managed to get Lucy through the Gate before she died. And Lucy was likely already warning the guild’s past versions about him, of what was coming, in an attempt to stop it this time.  _

_ Rogue stomped down on Cana’s skull, grinning as it crumbled into ashes beneath his weight.  _

_ “What’s wrong with you?” Mirajane whispered. “How could you do this?” She crawled towards him, dragging herself, still determined to fight, despite her broken body.  _

_ Rogue leaned down and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her up to look her in the eye. “Do you really not understand it, fairy?”  _

_ She bared her teeth.  _

_ He tightened his grip. “Do you really not understand that you would all do the very same? That you would kill and slaughter and destroy if the ones you love were killed? I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”  _

_ Mirajane scrabbled against his grip, but the last of her strength was fading.  _

_ “Your guild made me what I am today. You took everything from me, because you can’t handle a world without each other. You’re all one step away from me yourselves.” He grinned. “The only difference is that I’m stronger than you.”  _

_ He dropped her, leaving her to bleed out.  _

_ “We’ll still beat you,” Mirajane managed to gasp, just before going limp.  _

_ Rogue stared up at the Gate. He would do this as many times as it took to get it right. He would go through the Gate, and he would get Minerva, Frosch, and Sting, and they could all live together.  _

_ And all the fairies would die together. It was the only way.  _

_ Rogue stepped through the Gate again.  _

* * *

“You’re crazy!” Fire ignited in Natsu’s palms. “I’m not gonna listen to a damn thing you say!” 

Rogue sighed. He should have known it was useless. His brother’s blind loyalty to that guild was what had destroyed him, after all. “I am sorry, Natsu. But this is how it has to be.” He called on his shadows, wrapping them around his brother, and shoving him away. 

Natsu gasped and writhed, but no matter how many shadows he managed to burn and claw away, Rogue replaced them all. He shoved Natsu down, bracing one foot against his back, right where his wing connected with his shoulder. 

Natsu arched his back up and pushed against him, but he wasn’t strong enough to shove Rogue away. 

“I won’t kill you,” he said. “You don’t deserve that. None of it was  _ your _ fault. It was everyone else’s. But…” He grabbed Natsu’s wing. “I won’t let you interfere.” He pulled the wing taught, shoved his foot down, and twisted it. 

Natsu let out a ragged scream as the bone snapped. 

Rogue let go of the wing, letting it fall awkwardly, and he kicked Natsu from the back of the dragon. 

He wasn’t going to let those fucking fairies through the Gate again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be really fun and interesting to write about Fairy Tail's blind loyalty to each other, destructive tendencies, and codependency from a different perspective, casting it in a much worse light, and I was right. It was /so/ fun! Kinda helps to explain why everyone else is so wary of them, like yikes


	32. Prince of Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aquarius talks to Lucy, Natsu deals with a broken wing, and faces a dragon made of fire

“Stop crying.” 

Lucy jerked, the rubble around her shifting, crumbling. She glanced over, to find Aquarius glaring at her. 

“A-Aquarius?” How was she here? Lucy sure as hell didn’t have the magic power to summon her. As soon as the Eclipse Gate had closed, all her spirits had vanished, as she was unable to sustain their presence in her world anymore. Even Loke had disappeared, and he hadn’t returned. Unless he was with Cana, or some other member of the guild. “How…?” 

“Hmph.” Aquarius turned her nose up. “Nothing to do with you.” She flicked her tail, and water splashed against Lucy’s cheeks. 

She glanced down, noticing the small, filthy puddle that Aquarius resided in. “You came here… on your own?” Aquarius had never done that before. Sure, Loke did it all the time, and most of her other spirits had come of their own accord at least once or twice. But  _ never _ Aquarius. 

So why now?

The spirit reached over to pinch Lucy’s ear. “I said, stop crying! What the hell is that gonna solve?” 

Lucy hiccuped, trying to force down a sob. Sure, they had closed the Gate, but what the hell had that really done? Dragons had still gotten through, and now the capital was going to be destroyed. 

She was going to have to watch that awful future anyways. Watch her friends die horrific deaths, before she was shoved through the Gate to watch it all over again. Again, and again, and again, a terrible, inescapable loop. 

Aquarius grabbed her ear again, this time deciding to twist it. “I said, snap out of it!” 

Lucy stared at her with wide eyes, and she could almost laugh. After everything she had told Yukino, all her big talk, she couldn’t force herself to get up and fight. Not when it felt so hopeless. “I can’t do it,” she admitted. 

She couldn’t fight a losing battle like this, not all alone. She grit her teeth and threw her head back, slamming it against the cracked wall she leaned against. She was pathetic. Take away her partners, her guild, her spirits, and what was she? Nothing but a useless, pathetic, sobbing  _ nobody.  _

“I don’t serve such miserable masters,” Aquarius said. 

Lucy nearly screamed. She had never let Aquarius’s constant berating get to her. Why should she? It was just the spirit having a little fun, Aquarius was just  _ like that. _ But she couldn’t do this. Not right now. “Then leave.” She barely had the strength to even take her keys out of her pouch, let alone actually  _ use _ them. “If I’m such an embarrassing master, then  _ leave. _ I didn’t even summon you.” 

Aquarius leaned over, and placed her arms on either side of Lucy’s head, pressing so close Lucy could feel her breath on her eyelashes. “I  _ don’t serve _ such miserable masters,” Aquarius repeated. 

Lucy stared into those blue eyes, burning with the same intensity as always, and it clicked. 

If Aquarius didn’t think she was worthy to serve, she wouldn’t serve her. 

Even now. 

She may not have enough magic power to summon a spirit, but she could still fight. Slowly, Lucy reached for her whip. “Aquarius…” 

The spirit backed off. “Don’t get the wrong idea, you little brat.” She crossed her arms. “Loke just asked me to come check on you so he could make sure his other girlfriend was still kicking around.” 

Lucy let out a breath. It made her feel worlds better just knowing that Loke was okay, and not only that, was likely with Cana, wherever she was at. “Thank you.” 

“Whatever.” But then the haughty attitude vanished again. “It’s about the Gate, Lucy. It’s all about the  _ Gate.” _

She shook her head. “We already closed it. I… I don’t know what else there is to do.” Thank god they had even managed that much, though. 

Aquarius reached out to grab the collar of Lucy’s shirt. “I am breaking so many rules and promises right now, but I  _ refuse _ to lose another master to that infernal magic. Not again.” 

“What…? Aquarius, what are you talking about?” She began to force herself up, wanting to rejoin the battle. “Wait!” When she actually realized what the implications of Aquarius’s words meant, she lurched forward, grabbing the mermaid’s shoulders. “You know what that thing is! You know about it!” 

Aquarius’s scowl deepened, and she shrugged Lucy off. “Destroy it, Lucy. Destroy it, before it destroys another Heartfilia.”

“Huh?” 

Aquarius’s form began to fade. 

“Wait!” She grabbed for her again. “You can’t just—What does that  _ mean? _ Aquarius!” 

Aquarius vanished. 

Lucy frowned, but forced herself to her feet. She couldn’t think about Aquarius’s cryptic words right now, because only one thing she had said mattered. 

_ Destroy the Gate.  _

Because if they destroyed the Gate, then that was it. Rogue couldn’t come back if the Gate didn’t exist in the future. All of time would be safeguarded once again if it was  _ gone.  _

Lucy gripped her whip tighter, scrubbed the tears from her face, and stepped back into the battle. 

Aquarius was right. 

She didn’t serve such miserable masters. 

* * *

Freed rolled across the ground, Evergreen’s limbs tangling with his own, the broken rubble digging into him as they landed. 

Evergreen held him tighter, hissing as flames burned in the air above them. “Goddamn dragons, fucking  _ again,” _ she snarled. Her fingers curled tighter into Freed’s jacket. “Someday I’m gonna fucking lose it over these shitty, over-glorified lizards.” She forced herself up and offered him her hand. “Come on, Freed. I’m not letting Laxus and Bixlow have all the fun.” 

Freed couldn’t help but chuckle. Leave it to Evergreen to be able to keep up the spiteful attitude, even in a situation like this. He took her hand, letting her heave him back to his feet. 

It was like being on Tenrou all over again. God, couldn’t they get a break? What had they done to the world? 

Attacked by dragons,  _ twice, _ when dragons supposedly didn’t exist anymore. It was almost laughable. 

These dragons didn’t bring the same, crushing despair that Acnologia did, but it still felt like a useless battle. 

Flames raged around them, and Freed stared up at the dragon that appeared to be made from pure fire. How were they expected to even  _ touch _ such a thing, let alone defeat it? The four of them had yet to land a single decent hit. 

“Quit standing around, Freed!” Bixlow shouted, as he just barely managed to dodge a massive fireball. 

“Right.” He drew his sword. A hopeless fight or not, he wasn’t just going to roll over and take it. 

Besides… they had Laxus on their side. 

If anyone could kill a dragon, he could. 

* * *

“Loke!” Cana sprinted towards him as soon as he appeared. “What’s going on out there?” It sounded like the end of the fucking world, that was for damn sure. The castle was shaking around them. She wanted nothing more than to get out there and join the actual fighting, but first they had to get out of this damned castle, that just had to be fucking  _ huge.  _

Loke grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. “She’s okay! Lucy is okay!” 

Cana wormed out of his grip. “I fucking know that!” She knew the Lucy that had died wasn’t  _ their _ Lucy, but Loke couldn’t seem to make the connection. “What about everyone else? Huh? The hell is going on?” 

Loke shook his head. “It’s bad. There’s dragons everywhere, but we did manage to close the Gate, so at least no more are coming.” 

Ultear grimaced. “We failed.” 

“We can still win!” Cana protested. They hadn’t  _ failed _ so long as they were still breathing. “All we gotta do is kill that bastard, Rogue!” Never mind the fact that not even Fairy Glitter had worked against him. And if Fairy Glitter couldn’t hurt him, then she didn’t know what the hell could, but they would figure it out. 

They  _ had _ to. 

Ultear’s frown deepened. “Kill Rogue… Yes… I suppose that is true.”

Something in her voice set Cana on edge, but Ultear was the least of their problems at the moment, so she let it go. “Come on.” Cana grabbed Loke’s shoulder. “Let’s get back out there. They need us to be fighting.” 

Loke nodded. “Right!” 

Ultear turned away from them. “I’ll be leaving you to it, then,” she said. “I need to find Jellal and Meredy.” She flicked her wrist as she stalked away, a clear indication not to protest or follow. 

“You know,” Cana said as she walked away. “I’m not normally into that whole cocky bitch attitude, but… She’s kinda sexy, isn’t she?” 

Loke scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t really think this is the time for that, Cana.” 

“Am I wrong, though?” 

Loke spared Ultear another glance. “No. You’re not wrong.” 

“I never am,” she said. “Now let’s go kill some dragons.” 

She didn’t notice the way the runes on her arm began to glow as she called on her own magic. 

* * *

Cobra had attacked the first dragon he saw as soon as Mest teleported them into the battle. There wasn't even a  _ second _ of hesitation. 

Mest didn’t hesitate either. 

He wasn’t foolish enough to believe he could handle taking on an actual dragon, but he could handle these little ones. Even if it had been years since he’d actually fought, used his magic during combat. 

He hadn’t forgotten a thing. It was natural. 

Loyalty to the council or Fairy Tail didn’t matter right now. Everyone fought for the same thing. 

For the first time in a long time, his mind began to clear. 

He just knew he needed to fight, and it didn’t matter for who. 

* * *

Natsu had forgotten what it was like to fear falling. 

Even before he had his own wings, he’d always had Happy, there to catch him if he needed it. 

But he had no idea where Happy was right now, and with the bones in his wing snapped clean in two, he could never hope to stop his fall. 

He barely registered the fall, didn’t notice how quickly the ground was approaching. All he felt was the  _ pain, _ felt his bones scraping in ways they weren’t meant to, his muscle twisting. He felt the sick feeling in his stomach as he plummeted towards the ground, unable to stop it, just waiting for the inevitable awful landing. 

He landed in a well of flames, the ground burning and crumbling around him. He screeched, the pain in his wing intensifying after landing on it. 

“Natsu!” Bixlow ran towards him. “What the hell, are you oka—Shit!” He grabbed Natsu and rolled him over. “Ever! Get over here!” 

Natsu tried to force himself up. It didn’t matter how much it hurt, he still needed to fight! 

“Stay down, dumbass!” Bixlow shoved him back down. “Your fucking  _ bone _ is sticking out!” 

_ Fuck, is it really? _ Natsu twisted around, gritting his teeth through the pain, trying to see the worst of the damage. And sure enough, Bixlow was right. A sharpened point of bone jutted out from the wing. “Oh, that’s not good…” He flopped back against the ground. 

Evergreen sprinted over and fell to her knees next to Bixlow. “Jesus Christ above, Natsu! What the hell happened?” She grabbed his wing. 

Natsu bit back a shriek. “Rogue… Rogue broke it…” He tried to get up again. “Gotta stop him…” 

_ “Rogue?” _ Evergreen demanded, before scoffing and shaking her head. “Never mind. Bix, go help Freed and Laxus, I’ll take care of this.” 

Bixlow nodded and took off, running right towards…. 

Right towards another dragon. A dragon made of  _ flame.  _

“Stay  _ down,” _ Evergreen hissed. “God, you’re probably in shock.” 

“That’s fire!” he protested. “I can handle fire!” 

Evergreen leaned down to growl at him. “I’ll turn you to stone, Natsu, don’t test me. If you try and do anything like this you’re gonna get yourself killed. How bad does it hurt?” 

“Really bad,” he admitted with a gasp. It was taking everything in him not to cry. The only good thing about it, was that the broken wing really took away from any other injuries he managed to get when he landed. 

“Alright.” Evergreen stood back up and braced her foot against his back, in the exact same way Rogue had, just before he’d snapped the bone. “I would give you something to bite down on, but I don’t have anything. My healing magic is pretty shitty compared to Porlyusica and Wendy’s.” 

“Wait, what are you gonna—” 

Evergreen grabbed the exposed bone, shoved her weight down on his back, and forced the bone back inside the wing. 

Natsu screeched. 

“Alright, now I actually have to set it,” Evergreen said. “Brace yourself.” 

Natsu panted, and his claws dug into the ground. This might actually be on par with his wings growing in. It hurt so  _ fucking _ bad! He could barely feel the rest of his body, his mind only focused on the throbbing pain in his shattered bones. 

Evergreen repositioned her hold. “Here we go.” 

He grit his teeth, bracing himself for her to jerk the bones again. 

Evergreen shoved, and the bones clicked back together with a soft  _ snap. _ Just as they did, a burst of magic exploded from her palms, knitting the bones and muscle back together haphazardly. 

Natsu screamed through gritted teeth, and couldn’t stop himself from arching up this time, throwing Evergreen off of him, before going completely limp. 

Evergreen kneeled down next to him. “You conscious?” 

“Yeah,” he forced out, his voice shaky. 

She nodded curtly. “Good. That’s all I can do for you. It’s probably more of a severe fracture than completely shattered, now. You won’t be able to fly, but you should have at least a little maneuverability back, but don’t do anything stupid, got it?” 

He forced himself to nod, the pain fading a little, thankfully. 

“Stay away from the worst of the fighting—” she continued. 

Natsu staggered to his feet, his injured wing hanging uselessly and dragging against the ground. Evergreen was right. He could move it, probably even fold it up and tuck it against his back like he normally did, but it hurt to move it. Hurt a lot more than it did than to just let it hang limp. “I gotta get to Rogue.” He took slow, steady steps towards the dragon made of fire. 

“Natsu!” Evergreen warned. 

He ignored her. Fire might not fix his wing, or get rid of the pain, but it would sure as hell make him feel at least a little better. 

“What the hell are you doing!?” Laxus demanded as Natsu stumbled past him. “You’re gonna get yourself killed!” He tried to grab for him, but Natsu avoided his grasp. 

The dragon knocked Freed away, before turning his attention to Natsu, a delighted grin spreading across his face. “Ah, a  _ real _ dragon slayer.” 

Natsu ignored the words, lunging forward to grab the dragon’s foot, and biting out a mouthful of flames. 

“What the actual hell…” Bixlow muttered. 

The dragon shook his foot, an annoyed snarl building in his chest. 

Natsu didn’t let go. He sank his claws further into the strange, burning skin, relishing in the heat expanding in his chest with each mouthful of fire. He hadn’t even realized how little fire he’d had left until he got to eat like this. Had fighting in the Games really taken that much out of him? 

The dragon whacked him away with his other foot, and Natsu rolled across the ground, wincing as his wing was jostled and landed on,  _ again.  _ He forced himself up to glare at the dragon. He was made of fire, so this probably wouldn’t work, but why the hell not? 

“Natsu, get back!” Freed shouted. “Let us handle this!” 

Maybe he should let them handle this. He should go find Happy, and then he should get back up there to finish handling Rogue, but he couldn’t help himself. Not when there was an opponent right in front of him.  _ “Fire dragon roar!” _

“Oh my fucking god,” Evergreen groaned as the flames exploded. 

The flames did nothing against the dragon, and Natsu couldn’t help but huff in disappointment. It would feel really good to land a good hit on literally  _ anything _ right now. 

The dragon just stared at him, before leaning down to sniff at him. “A fire dragon slayer?” 

Natsu had half a mind to bite out another chunk of flames from the dragon’s face, but he restrained himself, confused as to why the dragon wasn’t trying to  _ kill _ him. 

“Where did you learn such magic?” he asked. 

Natsu forced himself to stand up straight, lifting his chin proudly. “My father Igneel taught me!” 

The dragon jerked back.  _ “Igneel?” _

“Yeah!” Natsu nodded vigorously. Did this dragon know Igneel? Could he give him any clues as to where Igneel might have gone? 

"You're Igneel's son?" The dragon bowed his head. “That makes you my prince.” 

“Uh…” Natsu stumbled back a step. 

_ “Prince!?” _ Evergreen sputtered. 

Natsu could only stare at the dragon with wide eyes. He vaguely remembered Igneel claiming to be the flame dragon king when he was kid. But it was another thing entirely to realize what that actually  _ meant. _ What that made  _ him. _

A prince of dragons. 

Natsu steeled himself and stepped forward. He still needed to defeat Rogue, and without his wings or Happy, he couldn’t get to him. Not by himself. 

“Fight for me.” 

* * *

_ You did this.  _

Rogue didn’t understand. 

_ You brought them here.  _

Why could he smell another person, that matched his own scent  _ exactly?  _

_ These dragons are yours.  _

Why did the dragon he fought insist that he was the one who did this? It didn’t make sense! Rogue hadn’t  _ done _ this! Why would he? 

_ You did this, you did this, you did this.  _

The shadows swirled around him as his thoughts chased themselves in circles, only making him more confused. 

He hadn’t done this! But then why… why… 

Rogue fell to his knees, clutching at his head. 

_ You did this.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three more chapters of the Eclipse arc! I've had a lot of fun writing this one (and I still have a few more scenes for it I'm pumped up for), but I am super excited about transitioning into the Tartaros arc


	33. My Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultear decides to kill Rogue, Laxus ponders over Natsu being a prince, Milliana confronts Erza and Jellal, Kagura learns the truth, and Sting finds Rogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry updates have been so slow lately :/ thanks to everything going on, I've been working 40+ hours a week, plus I have my five classes, so yeah, I'm in fucking hell. But! I was finally able to get the new Animal Crossing today, and I'm so excited! I've been playing Animal Crossing since I was seven, and it's such a nice little pick me up with everything going on. 
> 
> Anyways, classes are over in a couple weeks, so then I'll have a little bit more free time, so then I'll hopefully be able to write more

_ All we gotta do is kill that bastard Rogue!  _

Ultear couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of that as soon as all of this had started, the easiest way to end all of this. 

End the destruction of Crocus, all of  _ Fiore.  _ End all this meaningless death. 

All it would take would be one death. 

One death was worth ending all of this, of that she had no doubt. 

She ran through the carnage, easily dodging any of the tiny dragons, avoiding the larger battles with the actual dragons. She needed to find her guild. Jellal and Meredy could help her find Rogue, and  _ end him. _

If she killed the version of Rogue in the present, that belonged to this timeline, then this future version of Rogue would never exist. He could never come back in time. He could never bring these dragons. He could never kill all of these people. 

She didn’t know why no one had killed him already. It was so simple! 

A tiny dragon leapt from the roof of a nearby building. Ultear dove forward, rolling and landing on her back, blasting a hole through the dragon as it flew over her. It crashed into a building a few feet away, the already unsteady walls crumbling around it. 

Ultear grit her teeth and stood back up. They needed to do this quickly. Sure, in doing this, she was going to create a paradox, and she wasn’t completely sure what the consequences of that might be, but it couldn’t be any worse than this, or of the paradox that Rogue was creating by doing this in the first place. 

She bit back a curse. This was what happened when people who didn’t know anything about it meddled with time! God, she couldn’t even imagine who might have been stupid enough to build this Gate in the first place. They clearly had no idea what they were messing with. 

Or all the idiots who were going to use it after them. 

Both Rogue and Lucy had had no idea what they were doing. But at least Lucy was dead now and the universe wouldn’t unravel any quicker because of her. 

All she had to do was handle Rogue.

Handle Rogue, and hope she found some way to take care of the paradox. 

* * *

Laxus couldn’t believe what he was seeing. 

He would be the first to admit that he hadn’t treated the kids his grandfather had taken in the greatest when they were younger. He’d said some awful things to Erza and Gray, treated the Strauss siblings like garbage, put Cana down more times than he could count, and completely ignored Levy. 

And he had never believed Natsu and Wendy about their dragons, and he’d been very verbal about that. One of the things he felt most guilty over was the time he’d made Wendy cry when she was about six, because on the anniversary of her mother’s disappearance, he told her Grandine wasn't real, and that even if she was, she was probably dead. 

Needless to say, he’d been an ass to them over their dragons. 

So he figured it was some kind of cosmic karma that he was watching a dragon bow down to Natsu, declaring him his prince.

He believed them about their dragons now, had ever since Gajeel had shown up really, because there was no way in hell that bastard was lying, or delusionally believing in giant lizards. Well, that, and the fact that Natsu had literally started becoming one of the things.

But this was different. 

Being faced with Acnologia was the nail in the coffin, erasing any lingering doubt. Being attacked by these dragons now was like a joke. 

But it was  _ nothing _ compared to this. The universe was  _ definitely _ messing with him. 

Because there was no way in hell that Natsu was a goddamn prince of any kind. 

“You want me to betray Rogue for you?” the dragon asked. 

Natsu raised his chin, and flared his wings, even the one that had been completely mangled. A growl rumbled in his throat as he stared the dragon down. “Was Igneel your king or not?” 

The dragon took a step back, his glowing eyes widening, before he bowed his head even lower. “I apologize.” 

“What the fuck?” Evergreen whispered beside him. “What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck? It’s  _ obeying _ him? Just like that?” 

Natsu took another step towards the dragon. “What’s your name?” 

The dragon glanced up at him. “Atlas Flame.” 

Natsu nodded. “Get me to Rogue.” 

“Of course, my prince,” Atlas Flame said. 

Natsu turned to look at Laxus and the Thunder Legion. “Go fight one of the other dragons.” 

“Wha—You’re not in charge of me!” Evergreen shouted. 

But Laxus nodded. “Okay. Whatever you say.” 

Evergreen, Freed, and Bixlow whipped around to stare at him. “Laxus, what the hell?” Bixlow demanded. “You’re just gonna listen to him? We can’t trust this thing, no matter what it says!” 

Laxus ignored them, staring straight at Natsu, before eventually lowering his gaze. 

Natsu sniffed, turned back to Atlas Flame, and climbed onto the dragon’s back, completely undeterred by his flaming body. The dragon spread his wings, and launched himself into the sky. 

“Laxus…?” Freed stepped closer, a concerned look building in his eyes. 

Laxus shook his head, trying to clear it, because that had been weird as  _ hell. _ Why had he just  _ listened _ to Natsu like that? Never mind the fact that he wouldn’t do that even if Hell froze over, but Bixlow was  _ right. _ They couldn’t just  _ trust _ dragons like that. “I’m fine,” he said. 

Evergreen gave him a weird look, but didn’t press. “Bix, let’s go. Either way, that thing’s gone now, and there’s no point standing around.” And the pair sprinted off. 

“Laxus?” Freed asked again. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just felt like… I couldn’t say no.” Something deep inside him, knew he wasn’t supposed to disobey Natsu, not in front of that dragon. He shouldn’t even look him in the  _ eye. _

Freed frowned, and Laxus could see the gears turning in his head. “A dragon thing?” he suggested. “That dragon obviously felt compelled to listen to him, too. Obviously Ever and Bix didn’t. Neither did I.” 

Laxus grimaced. He did his best to ignore and lock away any of the weird dragon things that lacrima had done to him, and he was damn good at it. No one even  _ knew _ he was a dragon slayer until he told them, he’d never done any of the strange things that Natsu and Wendy had. 

So it pissed him the hell off that Natsu had managed to get that reaction out of him. 

“Whatever,” he said. “It doesn’t fucking matter.” 

Freed knew better than to press, especially in the middle of a battle. “Okay, let’s catch up to Bix and Ever.” 

* * *

“Erzy, step back.” 

Erza’s eyes widened, and she whipped around to face Milliana. Her ears were pressed against her skull, and her tail twitched angrily. Her teeth were bared, and a hiss laced her words. 

“Milliana—”

She shook her head wildly, and raised her hands, magic power building around her. “I said,  _ get back.” _ She locked her furious gaze onto Jellal. “You wouldn’t forgive him. You wouldn’t  _ love _ him. I  _ know _ you wouldn’t!” 

Beside her, Jellal stiffened, and Erza gasped. Had Milliana seen them kissing? That was the only explanation she could think of. 

“He did something to you,” Milliana continued, creeping closer. “He manipulated you, used magic on you,  _ something!”  _ With a scream of rage, she fired off a shot of magic towards Jellal. 

Erza leapt in between them, her sword raised to block the attack. “No, Milliana. He did nothing of the sort, and I think you know it.” 

Milliana whimpered, and fell to her knees. “I don’t understand. Erza, I don’t  _ understand! _ After everything that he did to us!” 

“Erza, perhaps we should—” Jellal began. 

Erza shook her head and held her hand up, silencing him. “Watch our backs, okay?” 

He sighed, but nodded. 

Erza settled onto her knees in front of Milliana. “That wasn’t him. Not really.” 

Milliana stared up at her, eyes wide and filled with tears. “You can’t say that. It was. It  _ was! _ He manipulated me for  _ years! _ He killed Simon! Kagura’s brother!” 

“What?” Jellal gasped. 

Erza hushed him, before turning her full attention back to Milliana. This wasn’t the time or the place for this, but it was happening, and this wasn’t something that she could just put on hold. She wished she had more time, more time to properly explain, to let Jellal tell his own story, but they couldn’t do that, not while the dragons were here. “Listen to me, Milliana. Listen. I don’t expect you to forgive or trust him, I would never expect that from you  _ or _ Kagura. But your mistrust, will do nothing to affect how much  _ I _ care for and trust him. Believe me or don’t believe me, but Jellal was possessed when he did what he did. I’m not asking you not to hate him, I am asking you not to act on that hatred. Not right now, in the middle of a battle. I will explain  _ everything _ to you after all of this, I swear to you, but I can’t do that for you right now. I’m sorry.” 

“Erzy… I don’t know if—”

Jellal laid his hand on Erza’s shoulder, leaning down to get closer to Milliana. “After I explain everything, if you still want to kill me, I won’t stop you.” 

“Wha— _ Jellal!” _ Erza exclaimed. 

Milliana’s eyes narrowed. “You swear?” 

Jellal nodded. “On Erza’s life. The one person we both trust.” 

Erza definitely didn’t like Jellal promising one of her childhood friends that she could kill him on her own life, but she was smart enough to realize that this conversation had nothing to do with her anymore. 

“Okay.” Milliana forced herself up. “But not me. Kagura gets to kill you.” 

Erza’s frown deepened. 

Jellal nodded curtly. “Deal.” 

“And I want to know what possessed you now,” Milliana said. 

“It was me,” Ultear said as she rounded the corner. “I am the one responsible for the Tower of Heaven.” 

* * *

Jellal could sense calamity in the air, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the dragons… or because of the disaster forming around him. He could sense Erza’s magical power spiking, and he had a feeling she might fight back against Milliana if she attacked anyways, even if she was reluctant. 

Milliana’s magic was still flaring up as well, and he could tell from her body language that she was still very angry and on edge. The ears and tail didn’t let her hide much. 

And now Ultear was here. 

God he didn’t want all these women to clash. He didn’t think he would survive it. 

“You?” Milliana hissed. 

Ultear nodded. “Yes. I used Jellal as a plaything while I was with Grimoire Heart. I was the thing in that room that destroyed all those people’s minds. It was all  _ me.” _

All the fur on Milliana’s tail puffed up as she hissed at Ultear.  _ “You?” _

Ultear raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have time for this. I’ve figured out how to stop this.” 

“You  _ what?” _ Erza demanded, lurching forward, already brandishing a sword. “What do I have to do?” 

“Kill Rogue,” she said. 

Erza froze. “What?” 

It didn’t take much to figure out what Ultear meant. Jellal knew that the future version of Rogue was the one responsible for this. And maybe she was right. Maybe finding him and cutting the head off the snake  _ would _ be the best way to deal with this. 

“It’s obvious, really,” she said. “The future version of Rogue is responsible for this. I don’t know where he is, and he’s damn near invincible. I’m not sure we  _ could _ kill him. So we kill the version of him from this time. I imagine it will be much easier, plus I imagine he’s injured and exhausted from the Games and this battle—” 

“No,” Erza snarled. 

“No!?” Ultear demanded. 

_ Oh god.  _ Jellal stepped in between both of them, and desperately tried to ignore Milliana prowling around them, her tail lashing. This was going to hell even faster than he had expected. “Ultear, I’m not sure that is the best course of action.” 

“Seriously?” she drawled, giving him a hard look. “You know as well as I that this is the best way to avoid unnecessary death.” 

Erza shoved Jellal aside to get in Ultear’s face. “And what about  _ Rogue’s _ unnecessary death?” she asked. “I admit, I don’t really know what you’re talking about, but Rogue doesn’t deserve to  _ die.”  _

“Back down, Scarlet,” Ultear said. “Time is my domain. This is my decision.” 

Erza raised her sword, pointing it at Ultear. “I won’t let you kill him. He’s Natsu’s brother, and has done nothing that warrants his death.” 

“One death is a perfectly acceptable price!” Ultear shouted. “In fact, it’s  _ more _ than an acceptable price! One death, innocent or not, is  _ nothing!”  _

Erza jerked back. “You can’t… You can’t really believe that.” 

Jellal sighed. He was proud of Ultear. So proud of her for fighting through everything she had been taught her whole life, but it made all too much sense that this was the conclusion she would come to. Despite her progress, she still couldn’t help but think that this was the way. As much as her respect for life had grown, to her, it was still easy to throw away. 

Too easy. 

“No, Ultear,” he said. 

She froze, her angry, stubborn expression beginning to melt away. “No?” 

“No,” he repeated. “Because we’re better than that Ultear. We’re  _ better _ now.” 

Milliana began to relax, her eyes narrowing when she heard those words. 

“I—” Ultear began, before snapping her mouth shut. “I’m sorry… I just…” She shook her head. “I just wanted to save everyone… It was… It’s the best way.” 

“It’s not,” Erza said. “Killing someone innocent is  _ never _ the best way.” 

Ultear stumbled backwards a step. “Okay… Okay… I’m sorry.” 

Jellal stepped around Erza to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. You were just trying to help.” 

“But to help like  _ that…” _ She grit her teeth. “I’m gonna go kill some dragons.” 

“Ultear—” he began. 

She shoved past him, magic power already building in her palms, and he knew better than to go after her. 

* * *

Kagura pressed closer to the wall she hid behind as Ultear stormed off, but she was far too distracted with what had just happened to notice her. 

Reluctantly, she loosened her grip on Archenemy. 

She had no idea what to do with any of the information she had learned today. She felt like her entire life was being uprooted. 

When Minerva had suggested that Erza was involved with Jellal during the Games, she had believed her without any questions, too caught up in the heat of the moment, she’d let her emotions run rampant. Looking back on it, she had been incredibly foolish, and reacted in a horribly immature way. 

That wasn’t to say she thought Minerva had lied, looking back on it, just that she could have reacted better. 

But now… listening to that conversation, watching Milliana confront Jellal and Erza, she didn’t know  _ what _ to think. 

She’d caught the tail end of Jellal and Erza’s kiss while she’d been searching for the rest of her guildmates, and had no idea how to react. 

When Minerva suggested that Erza might be aligned with him, she  _ never _ suspected a romantic relationship of any kind, especially when considering that Erza and Mirajane were very public about their relationship.

She grabbed her sword, ready to intervene, to finally cut Jellal down, and hell, maybe even Erza, too, if she decided to get in the way. To hell with it! She wasn’t waiting any longer, getting more and more involved in the messy relationships, trying to figure out who did what and when! Everything was Jellal’s fault! She  _ needed _ that to be true! 

But then Milliana had interfered, and the truth came out. 

_ Possession. _

Kagura didn’t even know what to think about that. He was possessed? What did that  _ mean? _ Jellal’s hands were the ones who had done all those awful things, but he hadn’t been the one controlling them. 

Who was she supposed to blame now? 

Jellal… or the woman who admitted to possessing him? 

It may seem like the question had an obvious answer, but after Kagura had spent so much of her life blaming and hating Jellal, it felt nearly impossible to switch those feelings off. 

But she still managed to put her sword away. 

* * *

“Rogue!” Sting rushed forward, falling to his knees next to his writhing brother. “Rogue, talk to me!” He ignored the dragons prowling around them, only caring about his brother, who was obviously in an immense amount of pain. 

Rogue’s body convulsed as more shadows swirled around him. His eyes cracked open. “St-Sting?” he choked. 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s me!” Sting pulled Rogue into his lap. “What’s going on? What kind of spell hit you?” 

Rogue managed to shake his head. “It’s me…” He clutched weakly at Sting’s hand. “It’s all me…” 

Sting shook his head. “You’re not making sense!” The world was going to hell, but he’d finally found his brother, the one person who had  _ always _ been there for him, except Rogue wasn’t himself, the shadows were—

_ The shadows!  _

Sting stiffened. “No, no, no, not now. Please. Not  _ now.” _ Sting knew all about the dangers of shadow magic. Rogue had made sure he’d known, just in case… just in case something like this happened. 

But it never had before. The shadows had never even come close to consuming Rogue. So this was  _ terrifying. _

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s me! It’s all me! I brought them! I think…” Rogue babbled. “Dead, they’re all dead. Fr-Frozen—Frosch was frozen!” He gripped Sting tighter, his eyes beginning to cloud over. “Help Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy! Don’t let the council—” He jerked. “Sting!  _ Sting!  _ I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m  _ sorry!” _

“Rogue!” Sting ignored the shadows that dug into him. “Rogue! You’re not making any sense!” 

Rogue clawed at his head. “His memories…  _ My _ memories!” He shrieked.  _ “Get out of my head!” _

Sting jerked back. 

_ “GET OUT!”  _

* * *

Ultear tore through another little dragon, before falling to her knees. 

_ I haven’t changed at all. I’m still a monster, a witch, nothing more than a murderer.  _ She hugged her arms to her chest. 

_ One death is a perfectly acceptable price! In fact, it’s  _ more _ than an acceptable price! One death, innocent or not, is  _ nothing!

Ultear glanced up at the clock.

"It's time to atone for my sin." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sad for what's coming, I fucking love writing for Ultear, but the Last Ages scene is one of my favorites in all of Fairy Tail, I hope you all enjoy what I do with it


	34. Unforgiving Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wizards struggle in battle, and Ultear uses the Last Ages spell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Last Ages time, babey!

Meredy sprinted through the war torn city. She had no idea how long it had been since the Gate had opened, but it felt like  _ ages. _

And she had yet to find Ultear or Jellal. 

She wasn’t as worried about Jellal. But Ultear…. She hadn’t been in a good headspace lately, not with all the time travel going on. It was dragging up bad memories. She was tired, and frustrated, and angry, and honestly… Meredy didn’t blame her at all. One of the things that had helped Ultear find peace with her mother and her past, was the realization that it was impossible to change what had happened. But now…. But now it had been proved it  _ was _ possible. 

Ultear just wasn’t worth it. 

Or at least, that would be what she believed. Meredy knew how her mind worked. Ultear was barreling towards a myriad of bad decisions, she could  _ feel _ it. And she needed to be there to stop her, to pull her back from the brink if she decided to do something irreversible. 

Meredy could only hope that she would find her in time. 

* * *

“Watch out!” Juvia shouted towards Lyon, just before blasting the little dragon creeping up on him with a wave of water. 

“Thanks” Lyon gasped as he stumbled backwards, his eyes widening as he stared at the twitching body of the dragon. 

Gray pressed his back against Juvia’s. He felt pinned in, sensed the enemies around him. He couldn’t see them, yet. But he knew they were there, and it was only a matter of time before they showed themselves. 

He seriously began to wonder if they were going to get out of this. 

He had no idea where Natsu and Erza were. He hadn’t seen anyone other than Lyon and Juvia since this had started. He didn’t like it. Normally they fought together, and even if they didn’t, he usually had a better idea of where they were at, what they might be facing. Right now, he had no idea at all, and he  _ hated _ it. 

What if they needed help? What if they were hurt? What if they were  _ dying, _ and he was over here, doing  _ nothing _ at all to help them. 

Juvia gently held his hand. “Stop worrying. We’re going to be okay. Everyone will be okay. Erza and Natsu know how to take care of themselves.” 

Gray had given up trying to figure out how she could read him so easily. It could be part of the bond they had, he supposed, but if that was true, why wasn’t it going both ways? He still couldn’t understand her any better than he could any other person. 

Tingles shot down his spine, and Gray whipped around and shoved her to the ground, just as beams of magic flew over them. 

“Thanks,” Juvia whispered. 

Lyon froze the dragon as they pushed themselves up. “Focus!” he snapped. “Now isn’t the time for gazing into each other’s eyes!” 

Gray bit back a retort, because he was right. He needed to be concentrating on this battle, not wondering where Natsu and Erza were, and not thinking about his relationship with Juvia. 

_ “Gray!”  _ Lyon shouted. 

He felt hands on his chest, felt himself be shoved to the ground, felt the surge of magic in the air. 

Felt a pulsing pain in his heart. 

Lyon gasped. 

Juvia fell on top of him, the shine already fading from her eyes. Hot blood and gore poured from the massive holes in her body, torn through her by the little dragons’ magic. Her soft hair brushed his chin and neck as her head rested on his chest. 

She took one more shuddering breath, and did not move again. 

Rage, and pain, and power exploded in his chest, and Gray  _ screamed.  _

He scrambled up, clutching Juvia’s limp body, desperately ignoring that it was growing colder. Growing colder while more, and more scalding blood leaked from her. “Juvia…” He shook her, her head tipping backwards. The blood red moon was reflected in her dull eyes. 

“No, no, no, no….” He held her tighter, not noticing his fingers curling into talons, slicing apart her skin. 

Ice raced over the ground, encasing everything, so cold that the little dragons  _ shattered _ when it touched them. 

His body was wracked with tremors, and he dimly remembered this feeling, from before Juvia had bonded herself to him. The feeling of his demonic blood spreading. 

He didn’t care. He just wanted her  _ back!  _

“Gray…” Lyon took an unsteady step towards him, undeterred by the steadily dropping temperature. “Gray, we need to  _ move.”  _

“Get away,” he hissed. “Get away  _ from me!”  _

“Gray, we need to—” Lyon laid his hand on his shoulder. 

His cold touch was so different from Juvia’s warm blood, and the last string of control  _ snapped.  _

Juvia was gone. Juvia was dead. Juvia was  _ never coming back. _

He dropped her body, letting it crumple to the ground, before whipping around and shoving his hand against Lyon’s chest, freezing him from the inside out. 

He was dead before his body hit the ground. 

Gray stumbled backwards, his eyes widening in horror as he realized what he had just done. He tripped over Juvia’s corpse, falling backwards. “Oh god…” he choked. His eyes burned, and he wished he could cry, but no tears came. 

He clutched at his head, desperately ignoring the talons that scraped against his skin.  _ I’m not a demon, I’m not a demon, I’m not a demon. They’re both fine. Juvia and Lyon are okay, they’re alive, we’re all gonna be fine.  _

Gray roared, the pain and anger too much for him to contain. 

It hurt, he hurt,  _ everything hurt! _ He could feel the spot in his chest that Juvia’s presence had filled, and it was  _ empty. _ A piece was  _ missing. _ He could feel the edges of his marking spreading again, his teeth felt like they were being wrenched out with pliers as they sharpened, his skull cracked and splintered as horns forced their way out. 

He slammed his hand against a wall, his talons screeching as they tore massive scrapes into it. 

He forced himself up, and he stumbled through the broken city, determined to find something to tear apart, something that could  _ pay. _

He would freeze the whole world, and then maybe it would feel what he did. 

Feel that emptiness without Juvia. 

* * *

Wendy’s chest heaved, and she leaned forward to rest her weight on her knees. She’d exhausted so much magical power, more than she ever had before. It took everything in her just to keep standing. 

“It’s alright, kid,” Bixlow said as he steadied her. “Let us handle this. You’ve done enough.” 

She shook her head. “No. I-I have to keep fighting.” She staggered forward a step. “I can’t stop now.” It was  _ her _ job to slay evil dragons. She couldn’t stop now! For the sake of everything,  _ she couldn’t do that. _

The dragon laughed as she approached. “Are you that eager to die?” 

Wendy bared her teeth and raised her hands, calling on the winds to obey her. “Even if I die today, at least I’ll die fighting.”  _ I will not cry, I will not beg. _ She knew her life was dangerous, knew that, statistically, wizards in guilds had much shorter lifespans than the average person. She knew the risks of what she did. 

If this was really how she was going to die, she wasn’t going to let it be a coward's death. She would die fighting, die protecting everyone else. 

The dragon raced forward, and Wendy knew she didn’t have enough magic left to protect herself. She felt Laxus’s hand on her shoulder, a desperate attempt to push her out of the way. 

He wasn’t fast enough. 

The last thing she felt were those massive teeth tearing her to pieces, so fast she couldn’t even scream. 

She felt a spike of pain, and she was thankful it was quick. She didn’t fade away. There was that one, awful tearing sensation, and then it was over. 

Darkness slammed over her. 

* * *

Lucy sprinted around a corner, needing to find someone,  _ anyone. _ Anyone with even a scrap of magical power. Anyone that could help her spread the word that they  _ needed to destroy the Gate.  _

She froze, dread washing over her as the pack of little dragons whipped around, focusing on her. 

She managed to scramble backwards a few steps before they pounced, their claws shredding through her. 

* * *

Gajeel had imagined a lot of ways he might die, and most of them were pretty brutal. After he’d joined Fairy Tail, reunited with his siblings, met Levy, he stopped thinking about it so much. Fairy Tail avoided unnecessary death, and now he had more than one person watching his back. 

At the least, he didn’t think he would die alone anymore. 

He couldn’t believe he was that fucking stupid. 

The dragon he’d been fighting was gone, bored with him now that it knew he wasn’t going to get back up. 

He wasn't going to get back up ever again. 

He couldn’t feel most of his body, but he figured that might be a blessing. Being numb was better than being in pain. 

But he could feel his blood soaking into his clothes. He’d lost enough he was starting to feel dizzy. It was only a matter of time now. 

He hoped Natsu and Wendy managed to get out of this alive. And Sting and Rogue. He had no idea where they were at, how they were doing, but at least they weren’t dying next to him, bones shattered and covered in blood. 

He could taste his own blood, fighting back a cough as it forced its way up his throat. 

The stars glittered above. It was a beautiful night, perfect for viewing the lunar eclipse. Back when he was a kid, he would have killed to see something so cool. All of them would have. Weisslogia had gotten them all to love stargazing as much as he had.

He could almost imagine it. His siblings pressed against him, as they leaned on one of the dragons, gazing up at the sky, pointing out constellations. 

But then more blood bubbled up, and he couldn’t stop the wheezing cough this time. He winced as a spike of pain shot through his chest, at the sticky blood running down his chin. 

His eyes began to slide shut. 

“Gajeel!” 

He forced his eyes back open, alarmed by how blurry everything had become already. 

“Oh god…” He heard her scrambling towards him, the rubble clattering as she sprinted. “No, no, no. Hang on, Gajeel. Just hang on.” He felt her press her hands against his chest, probably one of the worst wounds. He still couldn’t feel the pain, though. 

He stared at her, desperately trying to get his eyes to focus. “Levy…” He coughed, and he tasted more blood. 

“Shh, shh.” She shook her head. “Don’t try and talk. I’m gonna stop the bleeding, okay?” 

He knew it didn’t matter. And he knew that she knew that. He’d lost too much blood already, not to mention all the internal bleeding that she wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing for. 

He gave up trying to see her clearly, content to let her scent wash over him. 

She talked as she worked on his wounds. She really was a chatterbox when she got freaked out, but he couldn’t focus on the words. 

But at least he wasn’t alone. 

He really hadn’t wanted to die alone. 

* * *

If an innocent life was perfectly acceptable to sacrifice, then obviously, her awful, sinful one was _more_ than acceptable. 

Her only regret was that she didn’t get to say goodbye to Meredy or Jellal, didn’t get to thank them. They’d made the years since Tenrou her favorite, the first times in her life that she had been truly  _ happy. _

But she couldn’t wait any longer. 

“I’m sorry.” She slammed her hands against the ground. 

She never thought she would actually use this spell, not since Hades had told her the price of it. But it was perfect. 

Who cared if Ultear lived or died, if everyone else managed to live? 

If Ultear’s death could stop this, could prevent this battle from ever happening in the first place, it was worth it. 

She’d been ready to die on Tenrou. She had been living on borrowed time anyways. 

_ Borrowed time. _

_ Time, time, time. _

All her life, she’d been ruled by time, told no by time. It would be nice to finally win one against time, even if the cost was her own life. 

She didn’t even need to turn back time very far. Just before this battle had started, just before the Gate had opened. She knew she could count on everyone to prevent this from happening again, paradoxes be damned. 

If anyone could fight through a paradox, it would be them. 

_ I’m sorry for abandoning Crime Sorciere, I’m sorry for abandoning  _ you.

She called on her magic, forcing it to build and build.  _ I hope this will make up for it. I don’t know if you’ll realize what I did, but if you do, just know it was the only way. I’ll miss you, Jellal, Meredy. You gave me something new to live for. I’ll never be grateful enough for that. I wish I could have spent more time with you, but it’s okay. If my worthless life can finally be used for something truly good, I’ll be content.  _

“Last Ages,” she whispered. 

Magic curled around her, becoming so thick it was nearly visible in the air. 

“Last Ages,” she repeated. 

Power converged on her. 

_ “Last Ages!”  _

Rainbow light exploded around her, twisting and twirling into a gorgeous display. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. 

And then the  _ pain _ set in. It felt like every piece of her was being shattered, broken apart and pieced back together, over and over and over. 

She knew she was screaming, could feel her jaw ache, but she couldn’t hear herself over the roar of the magic around her. 

But she had to endure it. She couldn’t stop now. Not until the spell was complete. This was  _ nothing _ compared to all the pain and suffering she had inflicted on others. It was only fitting that she should die in such an awful way, finally being paid back for her sins. 

Cracks splintered across her skin. 

_ I’m… I’m going to shatter… _ she realized.

There wouldn’t even be a body. Meredy and Jellal would have nothing. 

She grit her teeth.  _ It’s fine. I don’t need a grave. I don’t  _ deserve _ a grave.  _ She wasn’t going to give up on this spell, no matter the consequences. 

She would turn back time to before this battle had started, to before time had become their plaything. She would be the last one to change it, the final time witch. 

The cracks spread further across her body. If she moved at all, it was over. Her body would never hold together. Already, she could feel it straining, groaning, desperately trying to keep itself together beneath the force of the magic. 

The last of her magic billowed outwards, and the shifting lights faded away. 

She felt time shift, relief spread through her chest. Content to shatter away, she let her body slump.  _ Maybe… I’ll get to see Mom again…  _

She felt pieces of her body cracking away, fading into nothing. 

It was time, finally time for her life to end, like it should have years and years ago. She was ready to let go. 

But first… She had to know. She had to be sure that her spell had worked, that she had saved everyone. 

She forced her head to turn, using every ounce of strength she had left, ignoring the cracks that continued to spread. 

“No,” she whispered, voice hoarse and grating. 

Despair washed over her, smothering out the contentment she had felt just seconds prior. 

_ That can’t be right. That can’t be…  _

The hand on the clock had ticked back one place. 

A minute. 

Her life was worth only a  _ minute.  _

A tear slid down Ultear’s cheek, as her body finally shattered. 

* * *

“Do not weep, Ultear.” 

Ultear gasped, her hands flying up to feel her face, her chest, her upper arms, searching for the cracks in her body that she knew  _ must _ be there, but she found nothing. Her skin felt smooth, normal, her body didn’t feel like it was collapsing in on itself anymore. 

A gentle hand grabbed her wrist. “It’s okay, Ultear. It’s okay.” 

“Mom?” She glanced up, wondering if she had done enough to keep herself out of Hell, done enough to let her see her mother just once more. 

“I’m afraid not,” the woman said. 

Ultear was sure the disappointment shown in her expression as she took in the blonde woman. She looked… vaguely family. And then she realized it was because she looked so similar to Lucy Heartfilia. “Who are you? What…” Ultear glanced around, realizing she was in the exact same spot she had died in. “What’s going on? Is this… Are we in Hell?” 

The woman grimaced. “Perhaps we are.” She helped Ultear to her feet. “But you greeted me and helped me all that time ago. It’s only fair I should return the favor.” 

Ultear shook her head. “I don’t know you! I’ve never seen you before in my life!” She shoved the woman away. “I have to go back! My spell didn’t work! I have to  _ save _ them!” 

The woman gave her a sad look. “We exist within time now, Ultear. We can never interact with the world in a meaningful way again. Give it a few seconds, it will come to you. You’ve already been here for eternity.” 

The woman’s words didn’t register. All Ultear cared about was the fact that she  _ hadn’t saved a single person. _ “I failed them… I failed them all…”

The woman grabbed her shoulder. “No, you didn’t. Come with me. I can show you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if you noticed, but I really like writing death scenes. I'm gonna let that fact haunt you regarding future fic content lmao
> 
> There's two more Eclipse chapters, and then I promise everyone (well, almost everyone) will get some fluff to make up for how awful the past few chapters have been


	35. Broken Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultear's spell activates, and everyone gets a second chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna thank everyone for all the nice comments this series has been getting lately! I'm glad you're all enjoying it (I certainly have fun writing it, but it's nice to know that other people like it, too)

A wave of magic raged through the air, careening into Lisanna. Her eyes widened as memories flooded through her mind. Memories of the past minute. She saw the little dragon she was fighting lunge towards her, its jaws snapping, closing around her shoulder, and  _ tearing. _

She hissed, and dove forward, relying on that little glimpse to know where the dragon was going to be, and she sank her claws into its soft neck, slicing downwards, tearing the skin open, leaving blood to spurt across the ground. She yanked her claws out and bounded backwards, her tail lashing. “What the hell was that?” she panted. 

Whatever that vision had been, it had just saved her a world of hurt. 

“You saw it too?” Happy gasped as he pressed against her ankles. 

Lisanna leaned down to pick Happy up, running her hands through his fur as her takeover form began to fade now that the dragon was dead. “That was extremely powerful magic.” 

“Maybe it was Charle,” Happy suggested as he nestled further into her arms, his fur still bushed up with fright. “She can see the future sometimes.” 

Lisanna shook her head. “No offense to Charle, but there’s no way she could pull off whatever that was.” She could  _ sense _ it. That magic hadn’t just affected her and Happy, it had affected all of Crocus, perhaps even more of the world. 

“I think you’re right…” Happy said. “And I think we should try and find everyone else. I’m worried about Natsu.” 

“Me too,” Lisanna said. She was worried about Natsu, her brother and sister, her friends. She had no idea who was alive or dead. She wasn’t even sure how long they had all been separated. She curled her fingers tighter into Happy’s fur, relieved she had at least  _ someone _ with her. She wasn’t sure what she might have done if she’d been completely alone. 

Lisanna looked to the sky, mesmerized by the two dragons that tore into each other. “That’s him, isn’t it?” she whispered, staring at the dragon made of flame. “Natsu’s fighting up there.” 

“Probably,” Happy said. His wings twitched. “We should go help him.” 

Lisanna shook her head. “No. We’d just get in the way.” They’d both be burnt to a crisp if they even  _ touched _ that fire dragon, and Lisanna knew that there was no way in hell she could hold her own against a real dragon, not even if Natsu was there. “Besides, there’s still plenty to do down here.” Just because she didn’t sense any close at the moment, didn’t mean that all the little dragons had died. She knew they were still all over the city, and  _ that _ was something she would actually be able to handle. 

“I still want to help though!” Happy argued. 

“I know, but—”

“Lisanna! Lisanna, is that you? Oh, thank god!” Lucy slid down a pile of rubble, dust billowing out around her. 

“Lucy!” Lisanna sprinted towards her. “Are you okay?” 

“Barely,” she panted. “I’d be dead if it weren’t for that weird… vision I saw.” 

“So you saw it, too?” Lisanna had expected as much, but it was nice to hear it confirmed. 

Lucy nodded. “Yeah, saved my stupid ass from getting torn to pieces. But that’s not important, we have to destroy the Gate!” 

“What?” Happy bounded out of Lisanna’s arms. “Why would we do that?” 

“Think about it,” Lucy said. “If we destroy it now, it won’t exist in the future.  _ Rogue could never come back!”  _

Lisanna frowned. Natsu’s brother? “Rogue?” What did he have to do with any of this? 

“Oh, right.” Lucy took a deep breath. “The future version of Rogue is the one who caused all of this. But that’s not important! We just have to destroy the Gate!” 

Lisanna narrowed her eyes, before realizing that Lucy was right. “Okay, let’s go.” She turned and sprinted back in the direction of the Gate. She didn’t bother to think about  _ how _ they could destroy the Gate, there was no way she, Lucy, and Happy could pull it off. Their magic just simply wasn’t destructive enough. 

But they could figure something out after they got there. They just had to destroy the Gate! 

* * *

Meredy froze, dread washing over her as she felt the magic in the air. That was  _ Ultear’s _ magic, she would recognize it anywhere. 

But what could she have possibly done to cast a spell that powerful?

Meredy shook her head, and forced herself to move again. 

She had to find her. She wouldn’t let Ultear destroy herself. 

* * *

Sting dove to the ground, just barely dodging the breath attack that had been aimed at him. He forced himself up, eyes widening as he realized that attack had been supposed to  _ kill _ him, but he’d seen it, sensed it coming somehow. He shook his head. It wasn’t like it mattered. His head was enough of a jumbled up mess right now anyways, and he needed to get Rogue out of here. 

“Rogue, come on, we’ve gotta get—” He froze. Rogue was  _ gone. _ “Rogue? Hey, Rogue!” How the fuck could he be  _ gone?  _ Just a minute ago, he could hardly move!  _ “Rogue!”  _

* * *

_ Wendy… _

Wendy jerked up from her place on the ground. She’d thrown herself to the side just in time to escape the dragon’s jaws, just in time for Laxus to hit it with a lightning attack. 

_ Wendy, listen to me. _

She shook her head, convinced she was just hearing things. She was exhausted, she’d hit her head too hard,  _ something. _ There was no voice inside her head! 

_ Do you want to win? _

Wendy grit her teeth, determined to ignore whatever this was. She was in the middle of a fight! She couldn’t get distracted! Laxus and his team needed her help! 

_ I can help you win. _

She staggered back towards the fight, ignoring Laxus’s lightning crackling around her. Even with Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen helping, he still needed her. 

But she had no magic left. Even though she took in air with every breath, it wasn’t enough. Her body was  _ exhausted. _ It was taking everything just to keep standing, to keep from collapsing. 

_ Do you want the true power of a dragon? You’ve locked it away, but I can awaken it. _

Her legs gave out, and Wendy fell to her knees. 

_ Just say yes, Wendy. I can make you even more powerful. Just like I helped Erza.  _

Wendy sucked in a sharp breath. This was… This was the voice that Erza had heard, just before she’d become a Faerie? 

_ You can’t die here. It’s not your time. I’m willing to help you to prevent that.  _

Wendy clutched her hand to her chest. “You want to make me a Faerie, too?” 

The voice laughed, high and melodic.  _ Of course not. You are a dragon, not a Faerie. All you have to do is accept my help.  _

Wendy could only stare as the dragon slammed Freed into the ground, watch as Evergreen was batted away like a bug. She needed to  _ help them. _

And why shouldn’t she trust this voice? It had saved Erza, hadn’t it? She’d exhausted all her magic, even her Second Origin. There was no way she’d be able to fight on her own. “Help me,” she whispered. 

_ As you wish, dragon.  _

It was like a dam shattered in her core, a deep well of power and instincts flooding through her. She grit her teeth, fighting back the urge to cry out as she was overwhelmed. The air tasted richer with each breath, swirling around in her lungs. 

Everyone of her senses was fine tuned. She could smell everything for  _ miles, _ feel every tiny shift in the air, her ears twitched with each sound. She staggered to her feet, and took slow, careful steps towards the dragon. 

“Hey, kid!” Laxus shouted. “Stay out of the way!” 

Wendy snarled at him. “I will handle it.” This dragon was  _ her prey,  _ and she expected Laxus to stay out of the way. 

She wanted to  _ fight, _ to protect what was hers. This dragon was in her territory, and he  _ didn’t belong.  _ She would protect what was hers. 

She threw her hands out, calling on the winds to obey her. 

She would not lose today. 

* * *

Levy turned and ran as fast as she could in the other direction, thanking whoever was responsible for that spell for giving her that little glimpse. If she got there fast enough… maybe she could actually save him this time. 

Maybe she wouldn’t have to watch him die. 

She rounded a corner.  _ “Gajeel!”  _

She nearly sobbed with relief at what she saw. He was still up, he was still  _ fighting. _ His chest hadn’t been torn open, he wasn’t choking on his own blood, he wasn’t  _ dying. _

Relief only lasted a second though, because he was  _ still fighting a dragon. _ Levy didn’t care if he was a slayer, if this was what he was meant to be doing, she wasn’t going to let him fight alone. 

She sprinted towards him, already calling on her magic. 

* * *

Hisui would never be thankful enough for the dragon slayers right now. She’d been amazed watching Laxus fight, but Wendy… She was really something else. 

Truly, a dragon personified. 

Hisui didn’t know much about dragon slayers, it was just an obscure form of magic, but she’d never expected it made the wielders so similar to the very creatures they were meant to destroy. 

She sensed the same energy from Wendy, as she did from the dragon she fought. 

Despite everything, she couldn’t help but marvel. The winds converged on the young girl as she gave her all to fight the dragon, and it was an incredible sight. 

“Hisui! Yukino! Get the fuck away from the Gate!” Lucy shouted as she ran towards them. 

“Huh?” Yukino stumbled forward a step. “We can’t! We have to make sure he doesn’t come back and try to open it again!” 

Lisanna shook her head. “We need to destroy it.” 

* * *

“Can you take care of the dragon?” Natsu asked. 

Atlas Flame growled. “Of course I can!” 

“Then I’ll get Rogue.” Rogue from the  _ future. _ And god, he was having a hard time wrapping his head around  _ that, _ but that did make him feel a little bit better, because this wasn’t  _ actually _ his brother, this was someone else, someone else had made all these decisions, killed all these people. 

Atlas Flame tore into Rogue’s dragon, his jaws clamping around its neck. 

Natsu bounded from his back, fighting through the pain in his wing as he attacked Rogue. He’d have to remember to thank Evergreen later, because he didn’t think he would be able to move at all if she hadn’t managed what healing she had. 

Rogue hissed as Natsu sliced his claws across his chest. 

“What happened to you!?” Natsu demanded. “Why would you do this!?” 

Rogue shoved him backwards. “You’ll understand one day.” Shadows swirled around him. “When they’re all dead, you’ll know!” Shadows careened towards Natsu. 

He countered the magic with his own, his fire raging against the wave of darkness. While he was distracted, Rogue vanished, before appearing behind him. He grabbed Natsu’s injured wing, and  _ twisted. _

Natsu shrieked, trying to turn around to punch Rogue, but that only made it  _ worse. _

Rogue shoved him down against the dragon’s scales. “Do I need to fucking rip it off to keep you grounded?” He leaned down to hiss in his ear, “Don’t think I won’t.” 

Natsu froze.  _ Rip it off…?  _ Never mind the pain, that wasn’t something that could be  _ fixed. _ He didn’t want to lose his wings! 

“Like I said, I don’t want to kill you,” he said. “But you’re causing me a lot of trouble. You turned Atlas Flame against me. Finally growing into that power of yours, eh?” 

Natsu arched up. “Get  _ off _ me!” 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Rogue squeezed his wing tighter, twisting it again. 

Natsu gasped, trying to keep from writhing as the white hot pain somehow managed to intensify. 

“You know how dragons are,” Rogue said, releasing some of the pressure on his wing. “You take control, and they’ll listen. It’s pissing me off that Atlas Flame thinks you’re more powerful than me.”

Natsu wasn’t sure if that was true or not, but Atlas Flame’s loyalty to Igneel was definitely a large reason for his shift in loyalty. It wasn't necessarily Natsu's own power.

A smothering wave of magic flowed through the air, and Natsu stiffened as images flashed through his mind. Awful tearing as Rogue ripped his wing from his back, the rest of the bones snapping, muscle being ripped away, tearing and squelching. Blood splattered, running like a river from the wound. 

Natsu gasped, phantom pains from the wound that didn’t happen rushing over him. 

Rogue stumbled backwards, letting go of Natsu. “That damn time witch,” he hissed. “The hell did she just do?” 

Natsu forced himself up, choosing not to dwell on whatever the fuck it was that had just happened. He let his fire build up. He  _ was not _ letting Rogue anywhere near him again. 

He was ending this. 

* * *

Juvia held her hand to her chest, checking for massive wounds that she knew weren’t there. She barely noticed Gray freezing the dragons that were meant to kill her, before he whipped around, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.” 

“Gray, Gray.” She lightly cupped his cheeks, her thumb brushing away a stray tear. “I’m here. I’m fine. I’m alive.” 

He squeezed her tighter. “Gray, we need to keep fighting. We can’t do this now.” She couldn’t pretend to understand what he had just gone through, watching her die, and then whatever might have happened afterwards. 

Gray jerked away from her. “Lyon.” 

Lyon shook his head, before turning back to the fight. “It’s fine, Gray.” 

“It’s  _ not—” _ he began, his voice cracking. 

Lyon ignored him. 

“Lyon!” Gray shouted. “I fucking  _ killed you!”  _

Juvia gasped, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth. Had his humanity really vanished that quickly after she was gone? Disappearing so thoroughly that he would  _ kill _ his  _ brother? _

“And I told you it doesn’t matter,” Lyon said, his voice extremely calm, given the topic of conversation. “Now fight!” 

Juvia nodded. “He’s right, Gray. We can’t talk about this right now. We need to keep fighting.” 

She jumped back into the fight. 

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on what had never even happened. 

* * *

Natsu hadn’t used his Second Origin all at once. He’d steadily burned through all of his magic throughout the day, but thanks to Atlas Flame, it was all back, every last spark. 

He could admit, he was excited to see what it was like to release it all at once. He knew it would be more fire than he had used on the lacrima in Edolas, more than he had used on Tenrou Island. He didn’t even have to worry about hurting anyone else. He was in the  _ sky, _ and Atlas Flame was made of fire. He wouldn’t have to reign himself in at all. 

Heat rushed through the air, raising the temperate at an alarming rate. 

He had no idea what had happened to turn Rogue into this, what could have possibly happened to turn his brother into such a calloused killer, but he vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let it happen again. If he had to drag Rogue with him back to Fairy Tail and never let him out of his sight again, then so be it, but he would not let this future come true. 

Rogue’s dragon roared as Atlas Flame buried his burning claws in. 

Natsu released his fire. 

* * *

“Get down!” Lisanna shouted, tackling Lucy, Happy, and Yukino to the ground. “Everybody get down!” 

Even on the ground, she’d felt the temperature rising, so it wasn’t surprising when a moment later, a massive fireball exploded in the sky. She would recognize the feeling of Natsu’s magic anywhere. 

“What the hell?” Lucy squeaked, twisting to see what was going on. 

Clawing, snapping, flaming dragons crashed into the ground, barreling into the Eclipse Gate. The massive structure shattered, hunks of stone and metal flying through the air. Lisanna curled tighter around Lucy, Happy, and Yukino, trying to shield them. 

She felt the flames around her. She’d never been scared of Natsu’s fire, it had never hurt her before, but he probably had no idea they were here. If that fire touched them, they would burn. Natsu couldn’t protect them if he didn’t know they were here. 

Yukino lifted her head, the fire reflected in her wide eyes. “Dr-Dragons…” she whispered, pushing back against Lisanna, growing panicked. “Dragons!” 

The fire dragon reared up, before pinning down the other one. It bared its awful teeth, lunging down, going for the kill. 

“Don’t do that, uncle.” 

Lisanna pushed herself up, searching for the source of his voice. 

_ “Uncle?”  _ the dragon demanded. 

Natsu limped out of the flames, one of his wings dragging uselessly against the ground. “Yeah, uncle!” He managed to grin. “You’re close with Igneel, ain’t you? Makes you my uncle.” 

The dragon huffed, but it didn’t try to kill the other dragon again. “As you wish, Prince.” 

The dragons’ forms began to flicker. 

Natsu staggered towards the dragon, his expression falling. “H-Hey, what’s going on?” 

The dragon stepped towards Natsu. “I’m returning to my own time. The Gate has been destroyed.” 

“But….” Natsu fell against the dragon’s leg. “But you…” He took a shuddering breath. “Dragons never stay…” 

The dragon nudged him away with his snout. “I look forward to meeting you again one day.” 

The dragon vanished, and Natsu fell to his knees. 

“Natsu!” Lisanna forced herself up, with Happy climbing up her to rest on her shoulder. “Natsu! Are you okay!” 

“Lis!” As soon as he saw her, the fire began to fade as he pulled it back. “Lis, what are you—I have to find Rogue. I have to make sure…” He forced himself up. 

“Let me help you.” Lisanna grabbed him, supporting as much of his weight as she could manage. She knew he wouldn’t stay down if she told him to, so this was the most she could do. “Come on, I’ll help you.” 

* * *

Mavis looked out across the demolished city, feeling the fatigued and flickering magic of her guild. She could sense their pain, their despair, their hopelessness, even as the dragons began to fade, being pulled back to their own time. 

She hadn’t realized how unprepared they still were. 

Even those that the entity had already touched, Erza, Cana, and now Wendy. 

They weren’t ready.

They couldn’t do what Mavis needed them to do. They couldn’t do what  _ She _ needed them to do. 

She took a deep breath. She was proud of her guild, so proud, but something needed to change. They needed a push. 

Something to tip them over that edge. 

Into true power. 

* * *

Natsu staggered through the debris, following his brother’s scent. He tried not to lean on Lisanna too much, she was probably injured too, but now that the adrenaline and thrill of a fight was wearing off, the exhaustion and pain was only growing worse. 

But he couldn’t stop until he found Rogue. He had to know what happened to him. Had to know so he could stop it. 

“Natsu?” Lisanna asked quietly. “Are you okay?” 

“Wing hurts,” he admitted.

Happy made a concerned noise, before leaning over to lick his cheek. 

She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.” 

He glanced at her, noting the concern in her features. “I’ll… I’ll be okay.” Sure, he’d just had to fight his brother. He’d finally found a connection to Igneel, only for it to disappear right in front of him. But he would be fine. 

He always was. 

Lisanna didn’t look like she believed him, neither did Happy, but they didn’t press. 

They crawled over a pile of debris, and Natsu sped up, Rogue’s scent intensifying. 

He was sprawled across the ground, his body already fading. 

But someone else already stood over him. 

* * *

“You did this,” Rogue whispered.  _ “I _ did this.” 

His copy smiled, sad and slow. “Yeah, we did. Protect them better than me.” 

Rogue took an involuntary step backwards, and pressed a hand against his head. “They’re dead. They’re all dead. I think…” He winced as the memories rippled, fading in and out. 

“Kill Erza and Gray,” he said.  _ “Now.” _

Rogue shook his head. “I-I won’t. They haven’t… They haven’t  _ done _ anything. I won’t be like you! I’ll fight! I won’t let the shadows have me!” His siblings could help him, they wouldn’t let his shadows take over.

“You’ll fail.” 

He faded, the last of his memories disappearing with him. 

Rogue bared his teeth. “I won’t.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be dealing with the after effects with the battle, and then there will be a couple of fun, fluffy chapters. After that, we're going to be heading into the Tartaros arc. I hope you're all as excited for it as I am


	36. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wizards in Crocus deal with the consequences of the battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally everyone in this chapter: *just needs a fucking hug* 
> 
> Don't worry, a lot of them get hugs

Laxus collapsed as soon as the dragon was gone. He didn’t even have the energy to shout after Wendy, who ran off as soon as the dragon disappeared. His entire body ached, and he could still feel the phantom pains of its teeth tearing into him. 

“Laxus?” Freed settled down next to him. “Are you okay? We should find a healer.” 

He shook his head. He hadn’t actually been horribly injured, he was mostly just exhausted. Sure, he had a few scrapes and bruises, his ribs might have been cracked, but it was nothing too severe. “I’m fine.” 

At first, Freed looked like he was going to protest, but he didn’t. 

“What about you?” Laxus asked. 

Freed managed to smile. “Just as fine as you.” 

Laxus pretended not to notice the blood steadily soaking through his shirt. “Yeah, sure.” If Freed said he was fine, he wasn’t going to die. He didn’t like it, but they could wait. There were others that probably needed the medical attention a lot more than they did. 

Freed slumped over against his shoulder.

Laxus sighed, just relieved he was okay. So were Evergreen and Bixlow. Actually, they were both fine enough to be arguing over something already, several feet away. 

But he couldn’t help but feel frustrated. He hadn’t been able to do a damn thing against that dragon. What the hell was the point of being a dragon slayer if he couldn’t handle one? Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow had had to put themselves in danger because he couldn’t do his fucking job. 

He leaned over, taking a deep breath of Freed’s scent. He always forgot how much he liked having Freed close, until he had him like this. 

He just wished he’d been able to protect him better. 

* * *

Mest found Cobra waiting for him just outside the palace. “Took ya long enough.” 

He frowned, confused. In all honesty, he had been looking for Lahar, not Cobra. He’d fully expected the dragon slayer to make a break for it either during or after the battle. So what the hell was he doing here? 

Cobra laughed. “Ain’t no point in running. You fuckers would hunt me down until I dropped dead. That… and you’ve got my whole team here. Got nothing for me out here at the moment.” 

Mest’s frown deepened, but he felt nothing but sincerity from the man. He hadn’t expected him to be so loyal to the other Oracion Seis members, they had never seemed that close before. Then again, it was true that he didn’t really have anyone else. He didn’t have a family, and obviously he didn’t have friends. 

“So…” Cobra pushed himself off the wall he leaned against. “Arrest me.” Then he smirked. “I do expect a couple years knocked off my sentence for risking my ass for this goddamn city, though.” 

Mest almost said he had no control over that, but held his tongue. But he supposed it didn’t really matter. Cobra could hear every single one of his thoughts. “Alright, come with me.” 

* * *

“Lucy!” Cana ran towards her, completely ignoring Hisui and Yukino to wrap her girlfriend in a hug. “Thank fuck you’re okay! I was so worried!” 

“Cana, Cana, I’m alright, I promise.” She pet the back of Cana’s hair, gently holding her. “I’m alive. I’m here.” She hadn’t died, not this version of her anyways. 

“Lucy!” Loke barreled into them, knocking the three of them to the ground, the ashes of the Eclipse Gate billowing up around them. 

“Loke, I’m fine,” she assured him. “I  _ promise.” _ She knew she couldn’t understand what they might have felt, watching that future version of herself die. To her, it had just been some bizarre thing, a nightmare, that just left you feeling weird when you woke up, not necessarily scared or panicked. But she knew that wasn’t what it had been like for them. Especially Cana, who she had jumped in front of to save. 

“I know,” Loke said. “I know, but… but it just…” He pushed himself up and glanced away. “It didn’t feel that way.” 

Lucy nodded. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t fucking apologize!” Cana snapped. “It’s not your damn fault!” Then she sat up, and punched Loke’s shoulder. “And you got us covered in nasty fucking ashes, this is gonna take forever to wash out of my hair!” 

Lucy frowned, her eyes focusing on Cana’s runes. “They’ve spread.” 

Cana let go of Loke’s collar and turned towards her. “Huh?”

“The runes,” she said. “Must have happened when you used Fairy Glitter. They’ve already reached your neck. And I think… I think they’ve gotten darker, more noticeable.” 

Cana frowned. “I’m sure it’s fine, babe.” 

Lucy shook her head. “No! I’m not gonna let you act like this is nothing! We have to find out what they are! They’re  _ doing _ something to you! Even Loke thought that spell was weird, ancient magic the first time you used it.” 

Loke nodded. “She’s right, Cana. There’s something… There’s something weird about that spell.” 

Cana’s shoulders slumped. “The First Master gave it to me. It can’t be anything bad.” 

Loke looked out at the shattered pieces of the Eclipse Gate. “I’m sure no one meant for this Gate to be bad, but here we are. I’m sure no one meant for dragon slayer magic to hurt the mages who used it so much. I’m sure a lot of magic wasn’t created to be  _ bad, _ but we know that’s not how magic always works.” 

Cana opened her mouth to argue, but seemed to think better of it and turned away, letting her tangled hair fall into her face. “Yeah… okay. I’ll ask Master Mavis about it if she turns up again, and Freed and Levy.” 

Lucy let out a breath of relief. “Good. Thank you, Cana.” 

She huffed. “Yeah, yeah. But what about you?” she asked Loke. “This Gate was obviously connected to you celestial spirits. What was it really? Who made it?” 

Loke shook his head, a helpless expression on his face. “I don’t know, I’m sorry, I wish I did, but I just  _ don’t.” _ There was no denying that this Gate had been built with his key in mind, but he honestly didn’t know a damn thing about it. It was infuriating. 

“Aquarius knew,” Lucy said quietly. “She visited me during the battle, and she knew. She told me not to let it destroy another Heartfilia. What does that  _ mean?” _

“Maybe she meant your future self,” Cana suggested. 

Lucy shook her head. “No, I don’t think that was it. I don’t think she even knew about that. She’s served my family for generations, it has to be something that happened in the past.” 

“We’ll summon her later and see if we can get her to talk,” Loke suggested. “Maybe she will if I’m asking.” 

Lucy wasn’t hopeful, but she nodded. It wasn’t like Aquarius to be helpful, but it wasn’t like they had a lot of options. If Loke didn’t remember, it was unlikely any of her other spirits did either. Or even if they did, they might not have the same amount of information as Aquarius. 

“We’ll figure it out,” Cana assured her, pulling Lucy closer so she could lean against her. “My stupid fucking runes, and this Gate.” 

* * *

Gray hadn’t let go of her ever since the dragons had disappeared. He held her gently, like he was afraid she might break, or disappear at any second. Juvia had no idea if it was because he genuinely cared about her that much, or if he’d realized how dependent he really was on her, and panicked at the notion of what would happen if she really  _ did _ die. 

But as she felt sparks of panic, before being smothered by relief, she thought it was definitely both. 

Finally, he let go of her, leaving her to take a step backwards. “Gray, are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” he said, turning his head away. “Sorry, I just… Sorry.” 

She shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize for wanting to touch me.” 

He glanced at her. “I want to find Erza and Natsu. I want to… I need to make sure they’re okay.” 

“Of course.” Gently, she took his hand. “I’ll help you find them.” She was sure they were okay. If she and Gray had managed to make it through this, then surely Natsu and Erza had, too. 

“I need to find the members of my own guild,” Lyon said. “I’m worried about Chelia. She was too young to be fighting in this battle at all, let alone by herself.” 

Juvia felt Gray’s smothering guilt as he looked to his brother. “Lyon, please, please, I’m  _ sorry.  _ I didn’t mean to—It wasn’t me. That—” He took a shaky breath. “That wasn’t me.” 

Lyon glanced back at them. “Gray, I already said I didn’t blame you. I know what you are. I figured it out years ago.” He turned his gaze to Juvia. “I don’t know how she’s keeping you human, but I’m glad you found her. I’m glad you won’t ever actually have to become that again. But it’s fine. I’m still here, still breathing.” He smiled. “Just consider it payback for Galuna Island.” He turned away, offering a wave as he disappeared among the rubble. “I’ll see you around, Gray.” 

Juvia frowned. “He already knew?” 

Gray sighed and nodded. “He actually knew before I did. Mentioned it back on Galuna Island, just before he got arrested. Not sure how, I’m guessing he dug around and pieced it together from context clues and things we overheard our Master and your father discussing.” 

Juvia squeezed his hand. “He’s right, you know. That wasn’t your fault.” It was no one’s. It had just happened. 

Thankfully, she felt his guilt began to ease away, though it refused to disappear completely. “I want to find Erza and Natsu,” he said again. 

“Let’s go then.” Juvia tugged him after her. 

She hadn’t thought about it when she pushed Gray out of the way of that magic. Sure, she’d known doing so would likely end in her death, but she hadn’t seriously considered the enormity of her actions. 

However, now… she did know she would have done the exact same thing again. She didn’t want Gray to die, and she would do whatever she could to protect him. He could find some way to live without her, to fight through or stop his demonic blood. She knew he could. He was stubborn like that. 

But what jumping in front of that shot had done, was help her finally realize something. 

She did not love Gray. 

Well… that wasn’t really true. She  _ did _ love him, but not in the way that a lot of people seemed to think she did. She didn’t love him the same way her parents had loved each other, or the same way Gajeel loved Levy. 

She still wasn’t  _ quite _ sure how to  _ completely _ describe her feelings towards him, because she definitely cared for him in an intense, different way than she cared for a lot of the people that she knew, but she did know she didn’t want to kiss him, didn’t want to marry him, didn’t feel that way at  _ all. _

Somehow, in that split second just before that magic had killed her, that had become abundantly clear. 

She helped him stumble through the broken city, searching for his best friends, wondering how she might explain her feelings to him, because she definitely wanted him to know. 

Wanted him to know, that while she may not  _ romantically _ love him, she  _ did _ still love him, and wanted to spend her life with him. 

As soon as she found the right words, she would tell him. 

* * *

Rogue knew that Natsu, his Exceed, and another Fairy Tail member were watching him, had heard his exchange with his future self, but he didn’t care. While he wanted to mend his relationship with his estranged siblings, now was not the time. 

He limped through the city, and Natsu didn’t try to follow. Whether because his brother was more concerned with his own guild, or because he sensed that now wasn’t the time, Rogue wasn’t sure. 

He just cared about finding Sting and Frosch. He needed to be sure that they were alright. His future self’s memories had faded, but he still knew what had happened. He may not have the details, but he knew that Frosch, Sting, and Minerva had been dead. 

He never wanted that to happen, but if this battle was when it started, all because he hadn’t been able to protect them, he would never forgive himself. 

It didn’t take him long to sniff out Sting. He nearly collapsed with relief when he found his brother, unharmed,  _ alive.  _

“Rogue!” Sting sprinted towards him, pouncing on him, tackling him to the ground in a hug. “You’re alive! You’re  _ okay! _ Where the fuck did you  _ go!? _ You can’t just vanish during a battle like that!” 

Rogue winced. The medics had done their best to heal the damage Gajeel had dealt him during the Games, but the recent battle had undone any of their progress. “Sorry…” he managed to gasp. “I just… I had to confront him. I had to know…” Know why he had become that, know what all he’d done. 

Sting pulled back, but still kept him pinned against the ground. “Rogue, what happened? It was your shadows, wasn’t it?” 

He bit his lip, but managed to nod. His shadows, mixed with his future self’s memories flooding through his mind. 

“Why?” Sting asked. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It happened when I fought Gajeel, too…” 

Sting sighed, and flopped down next to Rogue, staring up at the sky, catching the tail end of the lunar eclipse. “We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Together. We won’t let it happen again.” 

Rogue knew he needed to tell him the truth. Tell him who was responsible for all of this, confess to the things he had done,  _ would _ do, unless something changed. But not now, not tonight. He didn’t have the energy. “Okay.” 

Sting groaned and forced himself up. “We need to find Lector and Frosch. And then… then we need to figure out a time to talk with Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu.” 

Rogue rubbed at his jaw, cringing as he felt how swollen it was. “Yeah…” 

“Come on.” Sting grabbed his hand and pulled him up. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

Hisui scrubbed at the tears streaming down her cheeks. She was such an awful, stupid, cowardly person. Even now, she couldn’t handle crying in front of the Fairy Tail mages, so she’d hidden behind a broken chunk of the Eclipse Gate, trying to keep her sobs as quiet as possible. 

This was all her fault. She’d listened to that man, trusted every word he said, even when so many people warned her not to, warned her it was a trap. 

She should have  _ listened _ to them.

“Princess?” 

She gasped, and jerked up, desperately trying to hide her tears. “Y-Yukino. Yes, what is it?” 

“You’re crying,” she said as she settled down next to her. 

Hisui turned away. “No I’m not.” 

Hesitantly, slowly, like she was afraid Hisui would snap at her, Yukino wrapped her arm around her shoulders, and pulled her closer. “It’s okay to cry, Princess.”

Hisui sobbed, unable to hold it back any longer. 

Silent tears slid down Yukino’s cheeks. “It’s okay to cry,” she repeated. 

* * *

Erza leaned against his back, her armor and sword fading away. “We survived,” she said. “Huh…” 

Jellal relished her touch, her warmth. “Regretting anything?” he dared to ask. 

Erza pulled away, before grabbing him and forcing him to face her. “Not a single damn thing.” 

He couldn’t stop the giddy smile from spreading across his face. 

“Oh, Mira wants to talk to you, by the way,” she said. 

“Uh, o-of course,” he managed to say, honestly having  _ no _ idea what to expect out of that conversation, but he understood why the takeover mage wanted to have one with him. “I’ll speak to her as soon as… everything settles down.” 

Erza nodded. “Thank you.” 

“You really love each other,” Milliana whispered from her spot leaned against the wall, her chest still heaving from the expense of battle. 

“Yes,” Erza said. 

Milliana nodded. “You don’t have to explain. I trust you, Erzy.” Then she bared her teeth at Jellal. “But you stay the hell away from me and Kagura. And I  _ will _ be telling her everything.” 

Jellal nodded. “I’ll respect your wishes, Milliana. But if you ever do want that explanation, just let me know. And my offer still stands. If you don’t like what you hear, I won’t fight you and Kagura if you still want to kill me.” 

Milliana sniffed. “Just stay away.” 

Jellal nodded, and turned back to Erza. He didn’t blame Milliana. Not at all. What right did he have? So he would do as she said. “I’ll come see you and Mirajane as soon as I can,” he promised. “But I need to get out of here before the magic council gets here, and find Ultear and Meredy.” 

Erza nodded. “Of course.” She leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. “I’ll see you soon.” 

“Until then.” Jellal turned and stepped into the shadows, gently touching the spot on his cheek Erza had kissed. 

* * *

Meredy fell to her knees, her shaky fingers picking up dusty ribbons. 

_ Ultear’s _ ribbons, the ones she wore in her hair. They were ripped, and dirty, but definitely hers. Meredy could feel her girlfriend’s magic on them. 

Tears dripped down her face. “Ultear, what did you do?” 

But she knew. She’d known, deep in her heart, the second she had felt that magic in the air. Ultear had told her about the Last Ages spell, Meredy knew exactly what it was capable of, as well as the price. 

She didn’t know what had driven Ultear to use such a spell. She wondered if she would have been able to stop her, if she had been here.

Meredy clutched the ribbons to her chest, and  _ wailed.  _

Ultear had finally been happy. She hadn’t wanted to give up in  _ years. _ Meredy thought… she thought they would be together forever… building Crime Sorciere, enjoying their lives together. 

Tears streamed down her face, and snot dripped from her nose as she sobbed. She held the ribbons so tightly her fingers hurt. “Ultear…  _ Ultear! _ You can’t leave me! Not like this!” She was never meant to die like this, sacrificing everything for that damned spell. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here! I’m sorry I left you alone!” 

She fell forward, just barely catching herself, cracked brick and stone digging into her palms. “Please come back…” she sobbed.  _ “Please.” _

* * *

“If you ever do that again, I’ll never forgive you!” Levy shouted as she punched his chest. “You can’t die! Don’t die! I don’t want you to die!” 

Gajeel caught her wrist before she could hit him again. “The hell are you talkin’ about, Shrimp? I’m standin’ right here.” 

She glared at him, tears pooling in her eyes. “You know exactly what I mean! Never do it again! I don’t want to… I care about you, please don’t die. Please.” 

Of course he knew what she was talking about him. How could he not? He doubted he would ever forget the terror of everything slipping away like that, the relief as he realized he wouldn’t be alone, and that he got to hear her, smell her, one more time. But what he didn’t understand… was how  _ upset _ she was. 

He thought… he thought she barely tolerated him. But if that was the case… then why was she reacting this way? He didn’t understand. 

Levy squeaked, but didn’t try to escape his grasp. 

Gajeel frowned. If she actually cared about him… “Levy, I’m gonna do something, and if you don’t want me to, just tell me, and I’ll never do it again.” 

She blinked, surprised. “Huh?” 

Gajeel pulled her closer. “You know exactly what it means now. It means you’re  _ mine.” _

Realization spread across her features. “You want to scent me.” 

He nodded. He meant what he said. If she didn’t want him to, he would never do it again. But now that he knew  _ why _ he wanted to scent her, and she knew exactly what it meant, he wasn’t going to do it without asking her. 

He couldn’t help but think how much it would hurt if she told him no, though. 

Slowly, Levy angled her head, exposing her neck. “Go ahead, Gajeel.” 

Softly, he grabbed her, and pulled her closer, leaning down to press his face against hers, slow and gentle enough that she could easily pull away if she wanted to. 

She stood as still as possible, and he could feel her soft breaths against his skin. 

He tightened his grip, pulling her closer when she made no move to back away. He rubbed his jaw and cheek against her neck, moving down to her exposed shoulder. 

It’d been a while since he had really scented someone like this. He spent so much time with Wendy and Natsu that it wasn’t really necessary, especially considering they slept together fairly often and laid on top of one another. Even with Juvia, he usually just scented her quick and often enough that this wasn’t necessary. 

Levy leaned into his touch. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she whispered. “And I’m serious. I never want to see you die again.” 

Gajeel fought back to urge to nip at her, as she definitely had not consented to that or the things that would imply. He pulled back, and grinned. “I’ll do my best. I didn’t  _ like _ bleedin’ out in this hell hole.” 

Levy glared at him, but there was no real heat in the look. “So I smell like you now?” 

He nodded. Enough that his siblings, and probably Erza and Loke, too, would realize what he’d done. God, he wasn’t looking forward to them pointing it out. 

She hummed, and took a step back. “I don’t mind when you do that. If you want to do it again, just let me know.” 

“Ya really don’t care?” 

“Why would I?” she asked. “It’s how you show you care about me. It’s… It’s sweet.” She twirled her hair around her finger. “I’m sorry I didn’t understand what it meant sooner.” 

He scoffed. “Not like I ever told you. Ain’t yer fault.” And he didn’t know she  _ wanted _ him to care about her. 

She hugged him, pressing her face against his chest. “Don’t fight alone anymore. Even if your siblings or Juvia aren’t around, please find me, and I’ll fight with you.” 

He rested his chin on top of her head, ignoring the dust and the dirt coating her hair. “Yeah, sure.” He knew it wasn’t that she didn’t trust him or believe in his abilities, she just… didn’t want him alone. 

And he didn’t want her alone either. 

“But I do have to go find Wendy and Natsu right now,” he said. He knew they were alive, probably close, considering he could smell them, but he would like to be sure they weren’t dismembered or bleeding out or something. 

She pulled back. “Yeah, okay. I want to find Jet and Droy myself.” She smiled. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I…” She brushed away a stray tear with her thumb. “That was awful…” 

His easy grin faded. “Sorry ya had to see that.” 

She shook her head. “Don’t apologize. And you’re right. You’re standing here right now. It’s fine.” 

“Yeah… I’ll come find ya again after I’m sure my brat siblings are fine.” He turned away, trying to hide the blush he knew was spreading across his cheeks. She was… She really didn’t hate him. She  _ liked _ him. 

Definitely not in the way that he liked her, he was pretty damn sure about that, but he would take what he could get. 

“I hope they are,” she said. 

* * *

Natsu ignored Lisanna and Happy as they fussed over his wing. He was sure it looked awful. The initial break sure as hell had, and he knew Evergreen’s healing hadn’t made it much prettier, and then Rogue had probably undone any of that healing when he mutilated it again. He should probably get up and find a healer, but he didn’t want to move. 

There had been dragons, for just a few moments. But they were gone again. 

They didn’t belong in this time. Did that mean Igneel was really gone? 

“Natsu?” Lisanna settled down next to him. “Natsu, talk to me. I’m worried. Tell me what’s wrong.” 

“I’m okay, Lis. It’s just my wing. I…” He glanced away. “I just wish… he could have stayed a while.” 

She cocked her head. “Who?” 

“Atlas Flame.” He sighed. “He knew Igneel.” 

“Oh, Natsu…” Happy brushed against him. 

Lisanna nodded, and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I wish I could do something for you. But you’ll find him one day. I know you will.” 

He shifted to press his forehead against hers, taking a deep breath of her scent. “Thank you…” 

Lisanna pulled him closer, and softly ran her fingers through his hair. 

Natsu leaned into her touch. It had been a long time since they held each other like this, were this close. Not since she had been in Edolas. He missed it. He missed  _ her. _ He wanted them to be this close more often. Her touch, her scent… That alone made him feel so much better. A soft purr built in his throat as he pulled her against his chest, and rubbed his cheek against the crook of her neck. 

“Natsu…” she said. “Natsu, I need to tell you something—”

“Natsu!” Wendy gasped. “Natsu, please… help me!” 

He jerked away from Lisanna, alarmed by the panic in Wendy’s voice. “Wendy, what’s wrong…” The words died away as he looked at her, as he took in the way her pupils had turned to slits, and her ears had pointed. 

Just like… Just like his and Gajeel’s had. 

He staggered to his feet, and stumbled towards her as quickly as he could. She bounded towards him, and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in her chest. “It won’t go away,” she whispered. “They won’t go away!” 

“Lis, Happy, go find a healer,” he said. “Please!” 

Lisanna nodded, her eyes wide, and took off, with Happy bounding after her. 

“Wendy, what happened?” he asked, before falling back to his knees, still holding her close. “Your eyes…” He didn’t understand! They had  _ stopped _ the transformation! Why had this happened!? 

She shook her head, and clutched him tighter. “It’s too much!” Her voice cracked, and a panicked growl laced her words. “I can’t take it!” 

Gently, he pushed her back, checking her for injuries, and any other changes he might have missed, thankfully not finding any. “Tell me what’s wrong. You have to talk to me.” 

“We weren’t gonna survive,” she whispered. “I had no more magic, Laxus and his team were struggling… and I—I heard this voice. She said she could help me! She said she was the same one who had helped Erza!” 

Natsu bit back a snarl. The same voice that had transformed Erza into a Faerie? What the hell had it done to his little sister!? 

Wendy drug her hand down her face, her fingernails digging into her skin. “But it won’t stop. It won’t go away. It’s like when I let my instincts go, except now I can’t fight them back! I-I-I just can’t! And it’s  _ too much! _ She said she would make me a dragon, and I didn’t think… I didn’t want…” She choked back a sob. 

Natsu pulled her into his lap, and rested his chin on top of her head. He did his best to wrap his wings around them. He let a soothing purr thrum from his chest. 

Slowly, Wendy’s body began to stop trembling, and her heartbeat wasn’t so erratic. 

“You feel like this all the time, don’t you?” she asked, her voice quiet and shaky. 

He sighed. “Don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe. Probably. Don’t notice anymore.” His instincts had always had a stronger grip on him, and they had only grown more intense with his change. If Wendy had really lost her ability to stave them off, after being used to living without them for so long… 

It made sense why she was so overwhelmed. He barely remembered what it felt like to  _ not _ have his instincts constantly nipping at his heels. He had no idea how to coach her back from this brink. When his instincts took over, in a much deeper way than what was affecting Wendy, he’d always relied on someone else to snap him out of it. 

And… if she couldn’t do it herself, he honestly didn’t think Wendy had the ability to go back to her human thoughts and feelings. 

“It started your transformation again?” he dared to ask. 

Wendy shook her head. “No, I think she just… she just nudged me a little in that direction, but I didn’t actually start changing again.” 

He let out a breath of relief. “Just breathe, Wendy. Just breathe. Pick one scent, and focus on that. Don’t dwell on the feelings.” 

She nodded, and took in a deep, slow breath. In and out. In and out. In and out. 

More tension leaked from her body, and her panic began to fade. 

Eventually, she collapsed against his chest, exhaustion finally catching up with her. 

“‘M sorry…” Natsu muttered as he held her. He had no idea how to help her fix this, or hell, how to even adjust. 

His little sister had just lost what humanity she had left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited for the next few chapters. There will be some more fun shippy stuff, and a lot more fluff


	37. It's (Not) a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The capital begins to rebuild, and Fairy Tail members scramble to find dates to the kingdom's celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Writing a whole chapter dedicated to ships? Yeah, I'm just as shocked as you are.

“This is a disaster,” Lahar said. 

“Yeah…” Mest looked out across the broken city, the rising sun shining on the crumbling buildings. “Heard a lot of the guilds are gonna help with cleanup though, so it shouldn’t take too horribly long to get things… back to normal.” 

Lahar grimaced. “Yeah, and there’s that damned celebration at the palace in a few days. I can’t believe the royals are letting so many guild wizards inside the palace.” 

Mest shook his head, doing his best to hide a smile. “You know… they  _ were _ on the front lines. And they weren’t even paid.” Guild wizards working without the promise of payment was practically unheard of. They easily could have fled, but instead, they had put their lives on the line for the kingdom, something a lot of guilds didn’t necessarily feel a strong sense of loyalty to. 

Lahar leaned against the balcony. “I am painfully aware. They’re going to be holding this over our heads the next time some guild ends up breaking a law or getting taken to trial.” 

Mest supposed he did have a point there. “Well, there’s not much to do about that.”

“Suppose not,” Lahar said, before sighing. “And I know I really shouldn’t be complaining. We wouldn’t even be alive without them. It’s just… guilds have always been so separate from the government, both the Council and the royals. The fact that Hisui convinced them to fight for her… could be problematic in the future. If she manages to inspire loyalty like that from them again, it could create some very dangerous power dynamics. Fiore’s government works the way it does because guilds are  _ private _ organizations that only work for hire. If Hisui undoes that…” He shook his head. “She could have an army of  _ extremely _ powerful magic users working for her that  _ we _ would be unable to control.” 

Mest hadn’t thought about it that way. He supposed he could see why Lahar was so twitchy over the situation. As far as he knew, guilds had never fought for a member of the royal family unless they had been privately contracted. They had never done it for free, and certainly not so many guilds at once. Sure, the situation had been dire, and had it not been, Mest doubted they would have done what Hisui asked. But because they had already fought for the princess once, it would be a lot easier for her to convince them to do it again. 

“But there’s nothing to do about it now,” Lahar said. “We just need to survive the next few days, and then at least all the guilds will be leaving the capital, and we can get back to business as usual.” 

Mest wasn’t sure if he  _ wanted _ the guilds to leave. Or, more specifically,  _ Fairy Tail _ to leave. He still hadn’t actually spoken to any of the members that had returned from Tenrou, but he already felt better just being in the same place as them. 

But there wasn’t anything to do about it. “Yeah… Business as usual.” 

Lahar laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you, Mest. I’ve enjoyed your company the past few years. But if you want to go back to Magnolia, I understand.” 

Mest shot him a glance, eyes wide. Was he really so easy to read? “Thing is… I’m not sure if that  _ is _ what I want,” he admitted. “I’ve liked… working with you, too.” 

Lahar smiled. “Whatever you decide, I hope you won’t forget about me.” 

Mest nudged him. “As if.” 

_ As if he would ever let himself forget something ever again. _

* * *

Mirajane stared at Jellal, eyes narrowed. She leaned over him, and was probably much closer than he appreciated, but he didn’t try to get away. He just sank lower in his chair. 

Honestly, Mirajane had no idea what she wanted to say to him. She’d been thinking about it ever since Erza told her she loved him, too, but she still couldn’t find the words. Like she’d told Erza, she honestly wasn’t surprised this had happened, and she wanted her girlfriend to be happy. However… after everything, she couldn’t help but still be a little wary of Jellal. 

Not  _ scared _ of him. But trust him to treat Erza well and not leave her alone, waiting for him, too often? Yeah, she could admit she wasn’t sure if she believed he would be a good  _ boyfriend.  _

Finally, she stepped back. “Come see her at least once a month.” 

Confusion flitted across his face. “Huh?” 

“I don’t want her upset and worried if you drop off the face of the planet for a few months, doing whatever the hell it is you do,” she said. “So if we’re going to do this, you will come see her  _ at least _ once a month, understand? I get that you can’t be around all the time, I’m not holding that against you, but you  _ will _ come see her whenever you can.” 

Jellal let out what she assumed was a breath of relief. “Of course. Of course I will, Mirajane. I wouldn’t leave her like that.” 

She nodded. “Good.” She turned away, not sure what else there was to say to him, really. But then she stopped, and glanced over her shoulder. “I would like us to be friends, Jellal. I think it would make Erza happy, and if we’re really going to do this, we’ll likely be seeing a lot of each other. I look forward to getting to know you better.” 

Jellal nodded. “You as well.” 

Mirajane glanced to Erza, who had been watching the exchange, surprisingly quiet. “Well, that’s all I have to say.” 

Erza’s giddy smile erased any lingering doubts Mirajane felt. She looked so  _ happy.  _ Happy that she had  _ both _ of them. “I know you’ll love each other!” She bounded over and wrapped Mirajane in a hug. “Thank you, Mira,” she whispered, quiet enough that Jellal wouldn’t hear. “I really do think you’ll like him.” 

“I think so, too,” she admitted, but she wasn’t going to let up on her tough girl routine in front of him just yet. 

Erza let go and turned to Jellal. “I do wish you could come to the celebration with us. You know… like an actual date.” 

Jellal offered her a smile. “Maybe someday. Though I admit, I’m not a very good dancer.” 

Mirajane snorted. Neither was Erza. 

“Maybe we can in Magnolia, after everything calms down,” she suggested. 

He nodded. “I’d like that. I wish I could stay here a little longer, but I’m afraid I do need to go before there’s too many people out in the streets. That… and I don’t want to leave Meredy alone for very long right now.” 

Mirajane felt a twinge of sadness in her chest. She didn’t know Meredy very well, and had never even met Ultear to begin with, but she felt awful knowing what had happened to the woman. It was a cruel ending for her. 

“I’m sorry,” Erza said. 

Jellal stood up and readjusted his cloak. “Yeah… thanks, Erza.” He gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. “I hope we can see each other soon.” He nodded towards Mirajane. “You, too, Mirajane.” 

“Mira,” she said. 

“What?” 

“Call me Mira,” she said. 

Jellal smiled. “Alright then, Mira.” 

* * *

Jellal found Meredy right where he had left her, sitting on a hunk of rubble in an alleyway, still clutching Ultear’s ribbons like a lifeline. 

He’d found her after the battle, wailing and sobbing in a little crater, with Ultear’s magic still lingering in the air. 

It wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened. 

He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he had broken down as well. 

“Meredy,” he said quietly. “We should… we should go.” Gently, he pulled her up, and held her hand that wasn’t clinging to the ribbons. “It’s… It’s over.” 

“She would be happy for you,” she whispered. “I know she teased you a lot, about Erza, but she really did hope it worked out for you. I wish…” A tear ran down her cheek. “I wish she was here to see you so happy.” 

Jellal pulled her into a hug, and ran his hand down her hair. “I’m sorry, Meredy. I’m so sorry.” He tried not to rub it in, and he knew that wasn’t how Meredy saw it, but it sure as hell felt that way. He’d finally gotten Erza, just in time for Meredy to lose Ultear, in the worst way imaginable. 

A soft sob worked its way out of her throat. “She fought so hard, and for so long. Why did… It shouldn’t have been that way. If she really had to die, it shouldn’t have been like  _ that.” _

“I know,” he said. It had been years since Ultear had had a bad patch, and he hadn’t even been around her when it had been particularly hard for her, like Meredy had. But he knew it was beyond cruel that Ultear would lose her life in this way. 

It wasn’t… It wasn’t suicide, not exactly. She had likely genuinely believed there was no other way when she decided to use that spell, but he knew that her struggles had played a massive role in that decision, especially after she had wanted to kill Rogue. 

He never should have let her go. 

Would he have been able to stop her? 

Either answer to that question only made him feel worse. 

* * *

Wendy hadn’t left their room since they had gotten back to the inn. She stayed curled up in her bed, with Charle, and Natsu and Gajeel, when they weren’t busy with helping rebuild. She wanted to get up and help, she really did! But… it was hard. Outside… there was too much. 

It was all just… too much. 

She genuinely didn’t understand how Gajeel and Natsu lived their whole lives like this. How were they  _ functioning?  _

The door creaked open, and she burrowed further into the blankets. She knew it was only Gajeel, but it was still a lot. 

“Hey, brat. Doin’ any better today?” he asked as he sat down on the bed. 

She poked her head out of the blankets. “I think so. I’m not… I don’t want to smell everything as much. Well… I mean… I do, but… it’s getting easier to ignore.” 

“Scarlet said she brought ya some food and you wouldn’t even talk to her,” he said. 

Wendy ducked her head, feeling heat spread across her cheeks. “It’s just… she’s  _ Natsu’s. _ She’s Natsu’s, and she was so  _ close.” _ She knew, realistically, that it didn’t matter. She was Natsu’s sister, and she knew he didn’t care how close she was to Erza (or Gray and Lisanna), but for some reason she felt she needed to  _ stay away, _ because Erza belonged to another dragon. 

Gajeel sighed. “Trust me, I know. If she was anyone else’s, I’d be stayin’ the hell away, too. But Natsu doesn’t care.” 

She nodded. “I can’t hide in here forever…” She knew everyone was getting worried, it’d already been three days, after all. And sitting in here wasn’t going to fix anything. 

This wasn’t going to go away. She had to learn how to control it. Not lock it away, like she had been doing, just… just  _ control _ it. 

“You can for as long as you want,” Gajeel said. “Anyone complains, they can piss off. Not like they understand what’s goin’ on.” 

Wendy shook her head.  _ “I _ don’t want to hide in here forever,” she amended. “I want… I want to help fix everything, and I want to go with everyone to that party…” 

Gajeel huffed, but leaned over to ruffle her hair. She leaned into the touch, a relaxed purr escaping her. “Right. Well then you can come out with us tomorrow, that way me or Natsu can bring ya back if it gets too much. And you can stay close to Fairy Tail, since most of them’ll know what to do or won’t care if you… you know, lose control fer a minute.” 

Wendy leaned against him. “Thank you.” 

“You gonna asked that Lamia Scale girl to that stupid fucking dance?” he teased. 

“No!” she yelped, jerking backwards. Charle yowled as the sudden movement woke her up. 

Gajeel cocked his head, confused by the adverse reaction. “Why the hell not?” 

Wendy’s shoulders slumped, and she looked down, focusing on Charle as she resettled herself in her lap, drifting back off. “Because I… I’m… I don’t want to freak her out,” she admitted. 

“Wendy…”

She glanced up. “It’s different for you and Natsu. Lisanna and Levy already know about everything, and they don’t care. They’re used to it. B-But Chelia is… she doesn’t know anything about dragon slayers, and if I tell her, she’ll think I’m weird, and she won’t—” Her lip wobbled, and she really hoped she didn’t start crying over something so  _ stupid. _ “She won’t want anything to do with me!” 

“Wendy,” Gajeel tried again. 

She ignored him. “And it’s different now! If I was still  _ me, _ still  _ normal, _ it would be fine! I could control myself better, and I wouldn’t try and scent her or get weird and over-protective and I wouldn’t growl or purr, and I—I—” She pulled the blankets up to her face, desperately trying to hide the tears dripping down her cheeks, even though she knew Gajeel had already seen them. 

Gajeel grabbed her and pulled her closer. “If she’s worth yer time, she won’t give a damn.” 

Wendy blinked. “Huh?” 

“Levy and Lisanna, Erza, Gray, Juvia, none of ‘em give a damn about how weird we are ‘cause they care about us,” he said. “If they really didn’t like that we were dragons, I wouldn’t want anything to do with them. If this girl decides she wants nothin’ to do with you over somethin’ like that, I wouldn’t let her anywhere near you anyways. She ain’t worth yer time.” Then he sighed. “Get if ya still don’t wanna tell her though. I’ve got no right to tell ya to do that anyways. But she sure seemed worried about you when you were hurt. If you really like her, might as well tell her. Only reason I haven’t told Levy is ‘cause I know she don’t like me, isn’t a damn point in tellin' her. But  _ you _ don’t know that about Chelia.” 

Wendy pressed closer to him. It made her sad that Levy didn’t like him… Gajeel obviously loved her. “I still don’t think I’m ready though…” She was… nervous, scared. Sure, what Gajeel said made sense. If Chelia really didn’t like all the dragon stuff, then she wasn’t right for Wendy anyways. But… But it would still hurt if she was told she wasn’t human enough for her. 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Gajeel said. Then he grinned. “And I know someone else who would take you to the dance that you’d have a great time with.” 

* * *

“Now’s the perfect time, Lisanna!” Mirajane exclaimed. “Even Natsu wouldn’t be stupid enough not to realize you’re asking him out!” 

Lisanna fidgeted with her fingers. She’d been so close to telling him after the battle. Pressed against him, surrounded by the fire and destruction, she’d never felt so safe and warm. But that courage had faded as soon as they pulled apart. “I don’t know…” Sure, asking Natsu to go as her date to the kingdom’s celebration sounded like a good idea in theory, but actually having to do it? 

“Okay, I wasn’t going to say anything, because I don’t think Erza realized what she was telling me, but I know for a  _ fact _ that Natsu likes you,” Mirajane said. 

Lisanna looked up. “Really?” She couldn’t help the disbelief in her voice. She just… couldn’t imagine Natsu chatting with Erza about who he liked. She couldn’t imagine Natsu talking about that with  _ anyone. _

Mirajane shrugged. “I admit, the words ‘Natsu likes Lisanna’ were never said.  _ But _ she told me how dragon slayers scent people they  _ like.” _

“Yeah, so?” she asked. 

“Lisanna! He does that to you!” she exclaimed, beginning to get exasperated. 

“Yeah, I know. But he does it to Erza and Gray, too. It doesn’t mean anything,” she argued. 

Mirajane shook her head. “Erza said he said it was different with her and Gray.” She smirked and raised an eyebrow. “I’m  _ telling _ you, he  _ does.” _

Lisanna opened her mouth to argue again, when the worst possible person decided to walk over and sit down next to her. “Hey, Lis!” Natsu grinned. 

Mirajane shot Lisanna a devilish look. 

“Do not—” she began. 

“Natsu!” Mirajane crooned. “Lisanna was just wondering about who she was going to go to the celebration with. She still needs a date!” 

Heat rushed across Lisanna’s cheeks as Mirajane dashed off, leaving her to deal with the mess she had just created. 

“Oh yeah,” Natsu said. “Guess Mira’s going with Erza, ain’t she? What about Elfman, I’m sure you could go with him! Oh, I doubt Levy’s going with anyone either, since Gajeel doesn’t have the balls to ask her.” 

Lisanna’s eyes widened, and she decided not to dwell on the implications of that comment. “Uh… actually… Elf is going with Evergreen.” 

“Oh. Hmm.” Then he smiled again. “I’m sure you’ll find someone!” 

Mirajane was wrong. Natsu, could, in fact, be this stupid. “Actually…” She took a deep breath. What was the worst that could happen? “I was… wondering… if you were going with anyone?” 

Natsu nodded vigorously. “Yeah! I’ve got a date!” 

“W-What?” Lisanna couldn’t help but stammer. She’d been fully prepared for Natsu to say he didn’t want to go with her, preferring just to go with Erza and Gray or something, but she hadn’t  _ ever _ thought he would already have an actual date!  _ Who? _

“Yeah, I’m going with—” 

“Natsu!” Gajeel shouted. “Get your ass over here and help me with this!” 

Natsu grumbled something under his breath and rolled his eyes, but he got up and headed towards his brother. “I’ll see you around, Lis!” 

Lisanna slumped down. “Who is he going with?” she whispered. 

* * *

“Hey, Erza’s been pestering me about going to that damn party alone tomorrow,” Gray said. “She says it’s bad form, or some shit like that. You wanna go with me?” 

“Like… as a… a date?” Juvia squeaked. 

Gray frowned. “Uh, no? We’re not dating.” 

Juvia nodded, forcing herself to calm down. She didn’t know what she would do if Gray suddenly tried to tell her he was in love with her. “Good, good. Then yes, I’ll go with you.” 

He frowned, shooting her a wary look. “Did you… want it to be a date?” 

“No!” She shook her head and waved her hands. “No, not at all! I don’t want to  _ date _ you! I  _ never _ want to date you!” 

Gray finally turned all his attention to her, forgetting all about the door he was trying to fix. 

Juvia yelped and clapped her hands over her mouth, realizing how mean that had sounded. 

“You don’t want to date me?” he asked again. 

She took a deep breath, composing herself. “No, I don’t.” 

“Okay, good.” Then he chuckled. “I kept telling Erza she was being ridiculous. I knew you didn’t like me.” 

“I don’t want to date you!” she exclaimed, deciding that well… the conversation was already halfway over, she might as well get it all out there. “But I… I do like you, and you’re important to me, and I… I love you.” 

His expression grew confused. “You don’t have to pretend, Juvia. I don't like you either, if you’re trying to spare any feelings you think I might have, you don’t have to.” 

“No! No, that’s not it!” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I know I’m doing an awful job of explaining this. It’s just…” She took a deep breath. “Ever since I was little, people talked about getting married, having kids, you know, that kind of thing. And I just never… wanted that, for as long as I can remember. I’ve never seen anyone and thought I wanted to date them, even if… even if by all accounts I should. I just don’t  _ want  _ that. But with you… it’s different, but at the same time, it’s not. I know I would never want to marry you, or go on dates, or anything like that, but I don’t want to live my life without you. You’re important to me, and I would love spending the rest of my life with you, but not… not like most people would expect or want…” She turned her head away. “I know that doesn’t make a lot of sense, and I know it’s not fair to expect you to give yourself to me like that when I can’t— _ don’t want _ to love you in that way. But I… I just wanted you to know.” 

“Juvia…” Gently, he took her hand. “If I wasn’t okay with being with you for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t have bonded myself to you like I did.” He let out a breath. “And honestly… I think I do understand. I’ve… I’ve never really wanted that either. I’ve never wanted a girlfriend or boyfriend, even though I knew I could get one if I really wanted to. Natsu and Erza have always been the people most important to me. Erza never really understood how I could just not want to date someone. For a long time, I thought Natsu was like me, he wasn’t interested in it either, but now he’s clearly in love with Lisanna. I never mentioned it to anyone, because it didn’t seem important. I would just never marry anyone, and that would be the end of it. So yes, I  _ do _ understand.” 

Juvia stared at him, trying to figure out what she even wanted to say. All she managed was a quiet, “Really?” 

“Yeah, really,” he said. “I wouldn’t lie to you just to make you feel better. I’m not that kind of guy.” 

“No, you’re not,” she said. She knew every word he had said was true. She just never imagined… that he would really have the exact same feelings as her. “Thank you.” 

He frowned. “For what?” 

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just… It’s good to know I’m not the only one like this.” 

“Yeah,” he agreed. Then he frowned. “But… we are still going to that party together, right?” 

Juvia laughed. “Yes, I’ll go with you so you can avoid Erza’s wrath.” 

* * *

Gajeel tossed down a piece of paper. “Teach me to read.” 

Levy looked up from her papers. “Huh?”

“I’m sick of just barely scraping by,” he said. “Scarlet sent me with a list to get some more shit for her, and it took me forever to figure out what it said. Teach me to read.” 

“O-Of course!” she exclaimed, bouncing to her feet. She hadn’t forgotten about Gajeel’s troubles with reading, not by a longshot, but she’d never brought it up again, wanting to save him the embarrassment. But if he really wanted to learn,  _ of course _ she would help him! “We can start as soon as we get back to Magnolia!” 

“Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate it.” 

“It’s nothing,” she said, waving him off. “I’m happy to help you out.” And she was! She would help him anytime he asked. 

He grinned. “Feel like I should warn ya, I’m an awful student.” 

“Oh, you can’t be that bad.” She shook her head. 

Gajeel snorted, before grabbing his list and continuing on his way. 

Levy fell back into her chair, turning her attention back to the expense reports and receipts she was helping to keep track of for everyone. Gajeel had finally stopped ignoring and avoiding her. She had no idea what had caused it or stopped it, but she was just glad. She’d missed spending time with him, missed how touchy he was, how he listened to her ramble, even if he had no idea what she was talking about. 

A warm feeling spread through her chest, and she remembered Mirajane asking why she was even upset over him avoiding her, telling her she couldn’t help until Levy figured out the reason herself. 

_ Oh… _

She dropped her papers as the realization came over her, and she scolded herself for not noticing sooner. How had she been so oblivious to her own feelings? 

_ I love him. _

Of all people, it had to be Gajeel fucking Redfox, didn’t it? 

Of course it did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natsu's lack of braincells is sabotaging his entire romantic life. Also Gajeel and Levy have entered mutual pining hell fuck yeah


	38. A Fairy Tail Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone does their best to enjoy themselves at the kingdom's celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finals week was literal hell, sorry about the longer wait. But, I think I passed everything, I'm finally done with generals, and I've finally recovered from the mental strain of the last two weeks of school
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like the chapter!

Cana tugged on the lapels of her jacket. “Can’t believe they’re really letting us dipshits back in here,” she said as they walked up to the palace. 

“Maybe it would have been a good idea to wear a shirt,” Erza suggested. 

Cana scoffed. “I’m wearing a top!” She pulled her jacket open. “See!” 

_ “Shirt,” _ Erza repeated. “Not a sparkly bikini top under a tux jacket.” 

Cana stuck her tongue out at her. “You’re just worked up ‘cause I look fine as hell in this. Plus this top matches Lucy’s dress and Loke’s tie.” 

“At least  _ they’re _ dressed appropriately,” Erza said. “We have a reputation to uphold!” 

“Our reputation is shit, Erza,” Cana said. “People either think we’re cool as fuck or the spawns of the devil. And fuck off, you’re wearing fucking armored gauntlets!” 

Erza waved her arms, the delicate golden metal lining her arms jingling as she did so. “These are ornamental! They’re  _ meant _ to be worn with dresses!” 

Cana sniffed and turned away. They were being hailed as heroes. She could have shown up completely nude and no one would have done a damn thing. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone in their guild was the height of fashion. They always dressed like weirdos, and having to dress a little fancier than normal did nothing to change that. “I’m just looking forward to the alcohol. They better have some expensive stuff here.” 

“It’ll probably be champagne, or wine,” Lucy said. 

_ “Boring!” _ Cana sang. “I want some vodka! Or whiskey!” 

“Oh, whiskey sounds good,” Gajeel chimed in. 

“Gajeel, you probably shouldn’t drink,” Juvia said. “You really are a lightweight, and you get pretty… wild when you’re drunk.” 

“Fuck off, I’m drinkin.’ It’s too much work to be sober at this kind of shit,” Gajeel argued. 

Erza groaned, but at least she didn’t try to argue. 

“Loosen up a little, Erz,” Natsu said as he nudged her shoulder. “Let’s have some  _ fun.”  _

“If you commit arson of  _ any _ kind tonight—” she began. 

Mirajane gently took her hand. “They’re right, dear. It’ll be a lovely night. You know they’re just poking fun at you, right?” 

Erza turned to glance at the lot of them, and Cana offered her a shit-eating grin. 

She just sighed and shook her head. “Well, please at least be mildly respectable.” 

* * *

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but that really is adorable,” Evergreen said. 

Laki nodded in agreement. “I’m glad, too! I was worried she wouldn’t be able to come, with everything going on with her.” 

Lisanna was contemplating hiding beneath a table, and she hoped Evergreen and Laki didn’t notice how embarrassed she was. She really should have figured this out sooner,  _ far _ before she talked to Mirajane about it, because her sister was never going to let this go. 

Natsu’s date was Wendy. 

_ Of course _ his date was Wendy. Who else was it going to be? She couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized that. 

She was tucked into his wing (the one that  _ hadn’t _ been practically snapped in half, which was still heavily bandaged and splinted, as Wendy and Porlyusica weren’t quite sure how to heal wings), carefully protected from anyone who tried to get too close. They wore matching suits, with ties designed to look like dragon scales. Wendy was smiling more than she had since before the battle, her eyes not quite as panicked and dull as they had been recently. 

Lisanna hated that she’d been so worked up over Natsu coming with someone, even if it had been an actual date. 

“Oh, that’s sweet,” Levy said as she approached their little group. “Gajeel mentioned that Natsu was bringing her, wanting to be sure he could get her out of here fast if she got too overwhelmed.” 

“I still can’t believe you didn’t come with Gajeel,” Evergreen said. 

Levy’s cheeks flared bright red. “W-Why would I do that?” she demanded. 

Lisanna tuned the conversation out. Thanks to Natsu’s thoughtless comments, she’d put two and two together and figured out that Gajeel had a thing for Levy. She had no idea if it was mutual, but if Levy’s reaction to that question was anything to go by, then  _ something _ was going on. 

“Jealous, Lis?” Mirajane whispered in her ear as she leaned over Lisanna’s shoulder.

She jumped, before shrugging her sister off with a glare. When she saw Mirajane’s mirthful expression, she let out an indignant huff. “You knew. You  _ knew _ it was Wendy, and you didn’t tell me.” She was  _ never _ going to her sister when she was upset ever again. 

(That definitely wasn’t true, but she could lie to herself for a little while).

Mirajane laughed. “You know Natsu tells Erza everything, and you know Erza tells me everything. I thought I’d let you stew in it for a while. Maybe now you’ll make an actual move, since this will have really demonstrated how much you  _ do _ like him.” 

Damn Mirajane and how perceptive she was. She knew  _ exactly _ what she was doing. 

“I’m serious,” she said. “I don’t want to see anymore half-assed date proposals.” 

Lisanna twisted around to flick her forehead. “Go dance with your girlfriend before someone else here beats you to it.” 

Mirajane’s grin was infuriating, but she stepped back into the crowd, leaving Lisanna alone again. 

“So she’s been bothering you, too, huh?” Evergreen asked. 

“Huh?”

She rolled her eyes. “Why the hell do you think I came here with Elfman?” 

“Oh…” Lisanna had to admit, that made a lot of sense. Actually… now that she was thinking about it, she wondered how many relationships within the guild that her sister had a hand in setting up. “Good to know it’s not just me.” 

Evergreen hummed, before throwing her head back and cackling. “Think it’s worse with you, ‘cause you’re her little sister. She gave Laki and Kinana hell, you know, before they got together.” 

Laki nodded. “Sure did.” 

Honestly, Lisanna hadn’t even known they were together. It did make some sense though. She didn’t know the girl very well, but she did know that Kinana had latched onto Laki after she began working at the guild a while ago. 

Or well… seven years ago. 

Damn, she still wasn’t quite used to that. It was almost like Edolas all over again, just a slightly different brand of strange to wrap her head around. 

“Anyways,” Evergreen continued. “Think you should just give in.” She looked across the ballroom, her gaze softening as she watched Elfman get into it with some Blue Pegasus member over something. “She knows what she’s doing.” 

“Unfortunately, she’s right,” Laki said. “Mira hoarded all of the emotional maturity, so the rest of us didn’t get any, so she has to help us sort ourselves out in return.” 

Lisanna grimaced, but couldn’t find the words to argue. “Yeah, maybe…” She shook her head. There was no point in dwelling on this right now. This party was supposed to be fun! “I’m gonna go dance,” she decided, springing up out of her chair. 

And if it was by herself, well, then who cared? 

* * *

Lucy tried not to notice her partners practically drowning themselves in booze. She knew both of their alcohol tolerances were insanely high, but it was only a matter of time before they got drunk enough they would get absolutely unhinged. 

“They seem lively.” 

Lucy jumped about three feet in the air, before whipping around, coming face to face with Hisui. “Princess!” 

Hisui sighed. “Lucy… I wanted to apologize.” 

Lucy frowned, tearing the last of her attention away from Loke and Cana. “What for?”

“I-I tricked you, and it’s my fault that the Eclipse happened, and I—” 

Lucy waved her hand, cutting the girl off. Honestly, she’d been expecting something like this from her. “You didn’t trick me. You believed exactly what you told me.  _ You _ got tricked.” She shrugged. “Look, there’s no point in being mad at you. It’s not worth the effort. I’m not going to lie to you, I think you’re kind of gullible—” 

“Oh, she’s a straight up dumbass,” Cana said, before slinging her arm over Lucy’s shoulders. “Ain’t no point in lying, babe.” 

_ “Cana!”  _ Loke scolded. “Don’t insult royalty!” 

“Fuck off,” Cana said, before gesturing to Hisui with her bottle. “Dumbass, but a straightforward dumbass. No point in bitching about what’s happened.” 

Lucy slapped her palm into her face. 

But despite everything, Hisui smiled. “I do wish people would be that honest with me more often… Maybe I wouldn’t have ended up in this mess if that happened.” She shook her head. “But I suppose you’re right. No point in lamenting.” 

Lucy doubted it would be that easy to change Hisui’s feelings, but at least she wasn’t trying to apologize anymore. 

“So you three are together?” she asked, attempting small talk, thank god. 

Lucy nodded. “Yeah, this is Cana and Loke.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Loke said, flashing a grin. 

“Still kinda wanna punch you, but likewise,” Cana said, finally stepping back from Lucy. 

“It’s funny,” Hisui said, leaning back against one of the tables. “I’ve always admired guild wizards, you three are everything I’ve always liked about them.” 

“I’m sorry,  _ what?” _ Lucy couldn’t help but demanded. They were an aristocrat’s worst nightmare! 

Hisui shrugged. “You don’t care what people think of you. I mean, hell,” she gestured to Cana. “You came to the palace with no shirt on, and I’m pretty sure you’re already plastered. Not to mention, none of you are shy about who you love, you don’t try to hide it.” 

“‘Course not!” Cana leaned over and planted a sloppy kiss on Lucy’s cheek. “Why the hell would I hide these hot as fuck bitches?” 

Lucy rolled her eyes. 

“I’m your bitch?” Loke asked. 

“Obviously,” Cana said. 

“Yeah, fair.” 

Hisui giggled. “Well, enjoy the festivities. And if you ever need a favor from the royal family, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” 

“Oh we’re gonna need that the next time one of us is arrested,” Cana said. 

* * *

“You’re stepping on my toes,” Mirajane said. 

“Oh, fuck, sorry babe.” Erza stumbled backwards.

Mirajane only laughed. “For someone so graceful in battle, you would think you were a better dancer.” 

“I’m an amazing dancer!” Erza argued indignantly. “Phenomenal!” 

“Then twirl me,” Mirajane requested. 

“Uh…” Awkwardly, Erza tightened her hold on Mirajane’s hand, before lifting her arm, and doing her best to spin her girlfriend without dislocating either one of their shoulders. 

“Disastrous,” Mirajane said as she fell into Erza’s chest. “But endearing. I appreciate the effort.” 

Erza held her closer, content to sway to the music, rather than trying an actual dance. Mirajane seemed perfectly happy to do that as well, nestling into Erza’s chest and letting out a content sigh when Erza rested her chin on the top of her head, not even bothering to scold her for messing up the hair she had spent nearly two hours on. 

She watched the different couples twirling, some more gracefully than others. Evergreen telling Elfman he was leading wrong and that she was going to do it. Lucy, Loke, and Cana took turns trading each other off, pressing close to one another. Even Gray and Juvia stood in the corner, nodding along to the music. 

She wished Jellal could be here with them… 

She barely noticed as the last person she had ever expected approaching her. “Erza.” Kagura held her hand out. “I was wondering… if I could ask for a dance?” 

Mirajane glanced up at Erza, raising her eyebrow, a silent question, wondering what was going on, but Erza shook her head. She had no idea. “Uh… sure, Kagura.” She let go of Mirajane, and slowly took the other mage’s hand. 

Kagura yanked her forward, holding her hand in a death grip, before awkwardly placing her other hand on Erza’s waist. “Milliana told me everything.” 

“Oh.” Of course, Milliana had said she would, so Erza wasn’t surprised. But she  _ was _ surprised that Kagura was being so  _ calm _ about it. “And?” 

“If Jellal ever crosses my path again, I cannot promise that I will let him go,” she said. “But I will cease my search for him, out of respect for you, and because I can sympathize with being unable to control anything.” Her golden eyes hardened. “However, if I ever see this Ultear woman, I will not hesitate.” 

“Oh…” Erza stared at the floor, desperately trying to avoid Kagura’s toes as they stepped side to side. “She’s already dead. She gave her life in the battle.” 

Kagura jerked backwards, seemingly having no idea what to do with the statement. She gnawed at her lip, before hissing, “I wish those damn bastards would quit trying to do the right things. It makes it hard to hate them.” She abruptly let go of Erza, before stomping off, disappearing into the crowd. 

“What was that about?” Mirajane asked. 

“She’s still so angry…” Erza muttered. 

“I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do about that,” she said. “You’ll have to let her work through that on her own.” 

“I know, but—” 

Mirajane shook her head. “No, Erz. Leave her be. Let her, and people she’s far closer with, work through this.” 

She sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” 

“Come on.” Mirajane grabbed her hand. “I love this song. Look, Freed even convinced Laxus to dance.” 

Erza let Mirajane tug her away, and she soon put Kagura out of her mind. 

* * *

“Is Natsu’s wing going to be okay?” Rogue asked. 

“It’ll be fine,” Wendy assured him. “Miss Porlyusica and I just need to brush up on wing anatomy before we heal the rest of it. Honestly, we should have thought about that as soon as he grew them…” 

“Eh.” Natsu ruffled her hair. “It’ll be fine. It doesn’t even hurt all that bad since you got it splinted.” 

"How do you manage to get shirts on with those things?" Sting asked. 

_"Really_ stretchy fabric," Natsu said.

"Shoulda heard him swearing and bitching about it before he got used to them," Gajeel said. "Took him for fuckin' ever to get a shirt on in the morning." 

Natsu leaned over and lightly punched Gajeel's shoulder. 

Sting still couldn’t quite believe this was happening. That after everything, he was sitting with his siblings, having a civilized conversation, like nothing at all had changed. 

Of course, things had changed, there was no way around that, and they still… they still had a lot of things to work through, but for now, this was nice. Sting needed this. 

“So… I’ve gotta ask,” Sting began. “Why aren’t me and Rogue, ya know, covered in scales and shit? Even Wendy’s got the ears and eyes now.” 

Gajeel and Natsu exchanged a look, before they both shrugged. 

“Got no damn idea,” Gajeel said. “We woulda been dragons by now, if the guild hadn’t replaced our blood with dragon blood.” 

Sting grimaced. That sounded… less than pleasant. “You really don’t have any idea?” 

Gajeel scratched at the burn scar on his jaw, evidently courtesy of Natsu, he’d learned. “Apparently dragon lacrimas don’t do anythin,’ but I doubt—” 

“Dragon lacrimas?” Rogue said, leaning forward with interest. 

“Yeah, the lightning bastard’s got one in him, and it didn’t do this fucked up shit,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Why?” 

“That’s it!” Sting exclaimed. “That’s why! We have those.” 

“What?” Wendy asked. “Why? Why would you do that?” 

Sting and Rogue exchanged a look. “We were just kids, needed the money, seemed like a good idea at the time. The magic council was experimenting with them. Needed test subjects.” He shrugged. “Looks like it helped us out, in the long run.” 

Rogue nodded. “They picked us because we were already slayers. When the lacrimas didn’t just kill us, and they got all the information they wanted, they paid us, and that was the end of it.” 

Gajeel frowned. “What the hell? The fuck is the magic council doing with dragon lacrimas?” 

Wendy shook her head. “I don’t know, but it  _ is _ odd. Actually… I wonder how Mister Laxus got his dragon lacrima. They appear to be rather rare.” 

Sting turned his palms up. “Eh, who cares? Not like we can do anything about it.” 

“Yeah, who gives a fuck?” Natsu agreed. 

Gajeel huffed, but he let the subject drop. 

They lapsed into silence, listening to bits and pieces of passerby’s conversations. 

“Natsu!” Happy bounded forward, before crawling up to rest on Natsu’s shoulders. “Natsu, Erza sent me to come get you.” 

“Huh? Why?” 

“She said she hasn’t seen you in a while and wants to make sure you’re behaving yourself,” he said. 

“I’m acting fine!” 

Happy shook his head. “She said she won’t believe it ‘til she sees it.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Natsu stood up and stretched his wings, before folding them back up against his back. “I wanna get some food, anyways. You coming, Wendy?” 

She shook her head. “I think I’m okay here.” 

“Okay.” He patted her head. “I’ll get you another piece of cake.” 

Her eyes lit up. “Thank you!” 

“So… how long have they been together?” Rogue asked as soon as Natsu was gone. 

Wendy cocked her head. “Huh?” 

“Natsu and Erza Scarlet,” he clarified. “Or is he with Gray Fullbuster? Or both of them?” 

Sting had been wondering about that himself. Honestly, it was strange to think about Natsu dating  _ anyone, _ but he obviously loved the both of them. And he hadn’t forgotten the way Erza had been able to talk him down after the disastrous water event. He hadn’t thought anyone was capable of that. Not to mention the way they all smelled like one another. 

Wendy and Gajeel exchanged a look, before Gajeel snorted with laughter and Wendy began to giggle. 

“What?” Rogue asked, confused. 

Wendy shook her head. “They’re best friends. None of them are dating. That would be  _ weird. _ Eugh!” 

Sting perked up. “Gray is single?” 

Wendy’s eyes widened, and Gajeel glared at him. “Don’t even bother with the ice bastard.” 

“Damn.” Sting slumped down in his chair. “He’s hot.” 

“No, Mister Gray and Miss Juvia are together now, aren’t they?” Wendy asked. “They came here together tonight.” 

Gajeel shook his head. “Got no damn idea. Ju tried to explain it, I didn’t really get it. But no, I don’t think they are.” 

Wendy hummed and laid down on the table, resting her chin on her forearms. “You should have asked Miss Levy to come with you.” 

Gajeel growled, and Wendy laughed at him. 

Sting glanced at Rogue, to see him smiling. Genuinely smiling. It’d been a long time since he’d done that. 

Sting smiled, too. 

* * *

“Ah, Natsu… I was wondering, if maybe you would like to dance?” 

Natsu nearly choked on his mouthful of food, and he stumbled back a pace from the Blue Pegasus mage. Shit, what was her name? Janey? Jamie? Jenny? 

Yeah, Jenny sounded right. 

“Uh…” Why would she want to dance with him? She held her hand out, like she was expecting him to take it. 

“Sorry, lady,” Gray said as he approached, before grabbing Natsu’s hand and dragging him away. “But he’s mine.” 

Natsu glanced over his shoulder, catching Jenny’s bewildered expression, before turning back to Gray. “Thanks, man.” 

“Yeah, sure. You know, you could just tell her no,” he said. “It’s not that hard.” 

Natsu shrugged. “I don’t know.” He always seemed to freeze up like that in those types of situations. Besides, Gray had swooped in before he managed to say anything anyways. 

“Well, whatever.” Gray tightened his grip on Natsu’s hand. “Come on.” 

“Wait, what are we doing?” he asked. 

“Dancing, genius,” he said. “Unless you want someone else to try asking you again. You realize a lot of people think you’re attractive, right?” 

Natsu hummed. That was… odd to think about. “What about Juvia?” he asked. “Ain’t you gonna dance with her?” 

He rolled his eyes. “No. I don’t  _ like _ dancing.” 

“I just saw you dancing with Erza,” he pointed out. 

“Erza doesn’t take no for an answer, you know that,” he said. “And, she was having fun.” 

Natsu grinned. “Yeah.” 

“Besides…” Gray took a deep breath as he put his hand on Natsu’s waist. “I need to talk to you about something.” 

Natsu frowned. Something in Gray’s voice didn’t sound right. “What?” 

“When you… When you learned slayer magic, what… exactly happened?” 

Natsu stepped back, doing his best to keep Gray from stepping on him, while still trying to figure out what the hell that question even meant. “Uh…” He tightened his grip on Gray’s shoulder, even though he was pretty sure that wasn’t where his hand was supposed to go. “I don’t know? I… You know I don’t really remember anything from before I learned it. I don’t know the difference between—” 

Gray shook his head. “I don’t mean the dragon stuff. I mean the actual magic. Like when I learned ice-make magic, I accidentally froze stuff all the time.” 

“Oh!” Natsu nodded. “Yeah, I burned shit all the time without meanin’ to. Think any magic is like that, really. Uh… I don’t know, guess the breath attacks were awful at first.” 

Gray’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” 

“They  _ burned. _ Guess it was ‘cause my throat and lungs wasn’t used to it yet, and they were hard to control. I was coughing and hacking up smoke and sparks constantly. Wasn’t as bad as Gajeel, though. The shards of metal tore his throat to hell,” he said. It had taken months for them to get used to the breath attacks. 

Gray jerked his hand back, before rubbing at his own throat. “Great.” He laughed, almost a little hysterical. “That’s… That’s great.” 

Natsu leaned forward, a concerned whine building in his throat. “Gray, what’s wrong?” 

“I think I’m becoming a slayer…” he said. “During the Games, I think I used a breath attack.” 

Natsu jerked forward, pulling Gray closer, and leaning down to press his ear against his chest. 

“Wha—” Gray tried to pull back. “The hell are you doing!?” 

“Shut up,” Natsu muttered. “I’m listening.” 

“For  _ what?” _

He closed his eyes, focusing on his hearing, listening, for anything other than air in Gray’s lungs. He knew Wendy could hear the fire burning in his own lungs if she tried, or the screeching of metal rubbing against itself in Gajeel’s. So if Gray was really starting to breath ice… 

It was faint, barely able to be heard, even with Natsu’s hearing, but with each breath Gray took, there was a soft clinking noise, brittle ice rattling. “How?” he whispered. “Why is this happening to you?” 

Gray shook his head. “I don’t know. It just… It just happened.” 

Natsu pulled back, before leaning close again, sniffing at him. But there was nothing, no scent of dragon, and he knew that by the time their breath attacks began to develop, his and his siblings’ scents already had that draconic edge. But Gray just smelled like a—

Like a demon. 

His eyes widened and he jerked backwards. “Demon slayer.” 

He knew there were other types of slayers. The god slayers had proven that. This was the only thing that made sense. 

“Demon slayer,” Gray repeated. 

Natsu nodded. “I can—” 

“We’ll talk about this later,” Gray said. “The last thing we need is the wrong people overhearing. Because that’s not the only thing I need to tell you. You and Erza both.” 

“But—” 

He shook his head. “Not  _ now, _ Natsu.” 

He huffed, considering pointing out that it was Gray who had brought it up in the first place, but maybe he was right. “I can teach you!” he exclaimed. “I can teach you about being a slayer!” 

“Let it  _ go,” _ Gray snapped. 

Natsu frowned. Did Gray… not want to be a slayer? Why not? “Fine.” He turned his head away. “Have fun choking to death on hunks of ice.” 

Gray groaned. “Natsu, that’s not what I meant. Being a slayer—Look, we can do this later, like I said.” 

Natsu noticed that most of the other people have given them a wide berth, probably catching pieces of their argument. Gray was right. Erza would kill them if they started fighting in the middle of the palace with so many people present. 

He sighed. “Yeah, whatever. I shouldn’t be away from Wendy for so long.” 

* * *

“What are you doing hiding up here?” Hisui asked. 

“I could ask the same of you,” Yukino said, before her eyes widened and she turned her head away. “Apologies, Princess. Of course, this is your palace, and you can go wherever you want, and—”

Hisui held her hand up, cutting Yukino off. “Speak to me however you want, Yukino. Trust me, I don’t mind. I simply wanted to know why you were up here on the balconies. Aren’t you going to rejoin the guilds now?” 

Yukino glanced at the Princess. How was she supposed to answer that? As a child, she had admired guild wizards, wanted a piece of that life so badly, that she had joined the first guild she could as soon as she got the chance. 

Sabertooth. 

And they had used her like a toy, before throwing her away when she wasn’t worth their time anymore. Not even Sting had tried to help her, the person she liked to think she was closest to in the guild. 

He had approached her several days ago, asking if she wanted her place back. 

She turned him down on the spot. Why would she return to those people? Maybe they claimed they wanted to change, hell, maybe they  _ were _ going to change, but that didn’t mean she had to trust them again. 

Not long after, Kagura of Mermaid Heel had offered her a place in their guild. She told her she would think about it, but honestly… she wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted anymore. 

Even when Lucy and Cana had offered for her to join Fairy Tail, the ones who had treated her with nothing but kindness, that hadn’t felt right either. 

“I’m not sure if I want to join a guild anymore,” Yukino admitted. 

Hisui gave her a questioning look. “You’re giving up on magic?” 

“Oh no!” Yukino waved her hands. “No, I could never! I love magic too much to do that.” And she wasn’t sure how she would ever find Sorano again without it. “I just… I don’t think guilds are the right place for me anymore.” 

Hisui hummed. “What if you were to work for me? Permanently?” 

Yukino scoffed. “What could you possibly need someone like me for?” 

“Father requested I have a bodyguard with me from now on,” Hisui said. “Due to everything that happened. Partly because of the danger I put myself in, and… partly as a punishment. He doesn’t trust me by myself anymore, not that I can really blame him. And honestly, I would much prefer it was someone I already knew and trusted, rather than someone Father chooses for me.” She took a deep breath. “What do you say, Yukino?” 

Yukino took a deep breath. It was… certainly an interesting offer. She liked Hisui, and a job with as much power as personal guard of the princess might be able to get her access to resources to help in her search for Sorano. “I would be honored to be your guard,” she said. 

* * *

“Wendy! I’ve been looking for you all night!” Chelia exclaimed as she ran up to her. “Actually, I’ve been looking for you all week! Are you okay? Were you hurt? No one would tell me anything!” 

Wendy froze, before backing into Gajeel. Chelia was so  _ close. _

“Woah, what happened to your eyes?” she asked, leaning even closer. 

Wendy ducked her head, trying to hide them. 

“They’re so pretty!” Chelia said. 

Wendy glanced up, seeing nothing but sincerity in Chelia’s gaze. Had she really been worried about her? 

Gajeel nudged Chelia backwards. “Sorry, kid. The brat’s not been feelin’ good lately, and—” 

Wendy shook her head. “It’s okay, Gajeel. I’m okay.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?” Then he grinned. “Sure thing, brat.” He left her alone, to go talk to someone from Mermaid Heel. 

“Are you okay?” Chelia asked, her voice laced with worry. “Did something happen?” 

“It’s…” Wendy took a deep breath, then immediately regretted it as she got a nose full of Chelia’s scent. She clapped her hands over her mouth and nose. “I’m okay. It’s just… It’s a weird… dragon slayer… thing…” 

“Oh.” Chelia pressed her finger to her chin. “I admit, I don’t really know anything about that. But… I hope you’re doing better!” She smiled. “And I’m glad you’re okay.” 

Before she realized what she was doing, Wendy grabbed Chelia and pulled her into a hug, burying her face in Chelia’s chest, softly inhaling her sweet, breezy scent. 

“Oh!” Chelia giggled, before hugging her back. “I didn’t realize you were such a hugger, or I would have hugged you first!” She rested her chin on top of Wendy’s head. “My sister always says I’m too touchy with people when I first meet them. It’s nice to see I’m not the only one.” 

“Sorry,” Wendy muttered. “Dragons are… a little touchy, too.” 

“I said I don’t mind,” she said, before petting the back of Wendy’s hair. 

She couldn’t stop the little purr that escaped her. Chelia… really did care? 

“Aw! Did you just purr?” she asked, pulling back. “That’s adorable!” 

Heat flushed across her cheeks. “Sorry.” 

“Stop apologizing,” Chelia said. “It’s dragon stuff, right? That’s part of you. Don’t apologize for something that’s a part of you.” 

Wendy stared at Chelia with wide eyes. She really didn’t care! Really, really didn’t! Slowly, she held her hand out. “Do you… maybe… want to dance with me?” 

Chelia grinned. “Oh, yes! Yes, I would!” She grabbed Wendy’s hand, and yanked her out onto the dance floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are SO close to Tartaros and I am So! Fucking! Excited!


	39. Unanswered Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sting and Rogue discuss the future, Erza asks Mavis about Faeries, Lucy and Loke ask Aquarius about the Eclipse Gate, and Mavis and Zeref have a conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally everyone: hm, weird things are going on
> 
> Fairy Tail: hehe, party

“Anything?” Rogue asked. 

Sting sighed, and shook his head. “Thought I had a scent trail for a few seconds, but it vanished pretty quick.” 

Rogue clenched his jaw, and turned away from his brother. “Okay.” 

“We’ll find her,” he promised. “We’ll hunt her down.” 

Rogue glanced at him. “Will we? Before she’s dead?” He drug his hand down his face. “We’re fighting fate, here.” 

Sting grimaced, and leaned over the balcony next to Rogue, resting his elbows on the ledge. “Aren’t you going to warn Fairy Tail?” 

“I—” Rogue cut himself off, not sure how to answer the question. “I don’t know how,” he finally settled for. “I don’t even actually remember what happens anymore. I just… I just have vague notions. I know Minerva was dead. I know Frosch was dead. I know  _ you _ were dead. And I know I blamed Fairy Tail. I think it was mostly Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster, but I don’t remember any of the details. What, exactly, am I supposed to tell them?” 

“Hey, please don’t kill Minerva, Frosch, and me?” Sting suggested. 

Rogue ducked his head. “They didn’t kill _you._ I know that much.” He couldn’t bring himself to tell Sting the truth. That  _ Rogue _ was the one who had killed him. He didn’t think he would ever be able to forget that, even if his future self had faded. 

Sting pressed closer, brushing his shoulder against Rogue’s. “Hey, whatever happens, we can stop it. We’ll find Minerva, and we’ll stop all of this.” 

“Tartaros,” Rogue whispered. “I don’t know what it is, who they are, but Tartaros is coming. Tartaros and Fairy Tail are going to create a Hell on Earth.” 

“Like I said, we’ll stop it—” Sting attempted again. 

“We can’t!” Rogue snapped, shoving away from the balcony and baring his teeth. “I don’t think you get it! It’s not  _ meant _ to be stopped! And hell, even if it  _ was, _ the two of us couldn’t do anything about it!” 

Sting frowned. “I don’t understand.” 

He shook his head. “Time  _ wants _ to happen, it’s hard to change. Hell, look at the battle that just happened! We were fighting against  _ time itself, _ and we only won because of  _ chance! _ Natsu  _ accidentally _ destroyed that Gate, and Gajeel told me about that woman, Ultear, what she did.  _ That _ is why we won. Nothing we did. Knowing what’s going to happen, doesn’t mean we can just  _ stop _ it. Besides…” He let out a shaky breath, unable to meet his brother’s gaze. “Even if it was that easy… I don’t know… if we should!” 

_ “What!?” _ Sting snarled. “You want to let everyone  _ die!? _ You want to let the shadows  _ take _ you!?” 

“No!” Rogue shouted. “No, that’s not what I mean! I’m not letting the shadows take me, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep Minerva and Frosch alive! I meant—I meant Fairy Tail’s war with Tartaros. Like I said before… it’s not so simple.” He pressed a hand to his forehead. “There’s… there’s  _ things _ that  _ have _ to happen.” 

“Rogue, what the hell does that mean?” Sting asked, as he gently pulled his hand away from his face, holding his wrist tightly. “How do you know this?” 

He shook his head. “I think it was my future self. He knew… He knew so much, and even if I don’t… Even if I don’t completely remember, somewhere, in my head, I still  _ know. _ Tartaros  _ has _ to come, and we can’t stop it.” 

* * *

The second they got back to the guildhall, everyone started drinking and partying, because that one night in the capital wasn’t enough for them. 

Not that Erza was surprised. If they wanted to have some fun, let them have some fun. They had earned this. They’d gotten their real guildhall back with the money they’d won in the Games, they’d paid off their debts, even the citizens of Magnolia were thrilled they had returned. By all means, there was no reason for them  _ not _ to celebrate. 

But Erza couldn’t find it in herself to join in. 

Because Mavis was here, sitting on the bar, kicking her bare feet and chatting with anyone who came and sat next to her. 

Erza had nothing against Mavis. Quite the opposite. Erza had nothing but  _ respect _ for Mavis. She didn’t know much about the First Master’s past, but what she did know, left her with a very high standing in Erza’s mind. 

But she didn’t understand why she was here, after all this time. If her spirit had been capable of interacting with the guild for nearly a century now, then why hadn’t she? What was so different now? 

The marking on her face tingled, and Erza traced it with her fingers. 

Mavis  _ knew _ things, right? She knew  _ lots _ of things. 

Erza shoved herself out of her chair, and she noticed Mirajane ask what she was doing, but she ignored her, and marched straight towards the First Master. 

“Erza!” Mavis chirped. “I just realized, I never got the chance to tell you how amazing your performance in the Games was, and I—” 

“Tell me about Faeries,” Erza said. 

Mavis’s easy smile faded, and her dull, green eyes instantly sharpened. “I’m surprised it took you this long to ask.” 

“So you know?” Erza asked, leaning forward, eyes wide. Was she about to get her first real answers about what had happened to her? Not just Levy’s speculations, based on old, half-forgotten myths? 

Mavis sighed and looked away. “Now is not the time, Erza.” 

_ “What!?” _ she demanded, loud and vicious enough that Evergreen and Bixlow turned to give her a look. 

“Exactly what I said, Erza,” Mavis said, her voice as calm as ever, having nowhere near the level of concern any other member of the guild would have if Erza was leaned over them, demanding things from them. “You are not meant to know yet. I can’t tell you.” 

“Can’t, or won’t?” she asked, more than a little hurt that Mavis would deny her even a single scrap of information about what she had become. 

“Both,” she said. “She says it’s not time, and I trust her.” 

_ “Her?” _

Mavis gave her a knowing look. “You know who I’m talking about.” 

“The voice,” she realized. “You… You know that voice?” 

“Fairly well, I’d like to think,” Mavis replied. “But once again, I can’t answer any of your questions, about Faeries, or about her. I’m a source of information that you’re simply not allowed access to yet.” She clasped her hands together. “Now go on, Erza. Go enjoy time with your friends.” 

Despite not being satisfied at all with the way that conversation had gone, Erza slunk away, and slouched back into her seat next to Mirajane. 

* * *

“Don’t you think we should have waited to do this until Cana was… you know, sober, so she could help?” Lucy asked. “She’s gonna be pissed off when she realizes we did this without her.” 

Loke shook his head. “You know I love Cana, but look me in the eye and tell me you think she would be a good person to handle Aquarius.” 

Lucy opened her mouth, probably to snap some smartass reply, but she seemed to think better of it. “Yeah, guess you’re right.” 

Loke grunted. He felt kind of bad about ditching the guild while they were celebrating and having a good time, and for stealing Lucy away from it, but he had to know. He needed answers, and he knew that Aquarius would likely respond much better to him and Lucy both, rather than if he tried to approach her in the Celestial Spirit World. She had a soft spot for Lucy, even if she wouldn’t admit it. 

Lucy kneeled down next to the stream. “You’re sure you want to do this right now?” 

“You don’t?” he asked. Lucy had wanted answers about the Eclipse Gate as much as he had, and he knew it. 

She shook her head. “That’s not it. I just… What if we don’t like the answers?” 

Loke sat next to her and crossed his legs. “Since when has that ever stopped us?” 

“I know, I know.” She dipped Aquarius’s key in the stream, and bright light flared as the spirit appeared in the water. 

“What in the hell do you two want?” she drawled as she rested her elbows on the bank. 

Lucy and Loke exchanged a glance, before Loke asked, “What is the Eclipse Gate?” 

Aquarius’s expression changed from cool irritation to something completely unreadable. “What are you talking about? It’s for time travel, or were you both too stupid to figure that out?” 

“Don’t play dumb!” Loke snapped. “I know you know more than that.” 

“Yeah? And so what if I do?” she hissed back. “It’s none of  _ your _ goddamn business!” 

“I’m your  _ king—” _ he began. 

“Oh, don’t even start with that bullshit, Leo,” she said, before arching an eyebrow and giving him a wolfish grin. “Or should I call you  _ Loke? _ You haven’t actually been Leo in years.” 

He leaned forward to snap something else, but Lucy held her hand against his chest. “Aquarius, please. We both know you know more than you’re telling us. What you told me during the battle made that abundantly clear. Please, just tell us.” 

Aquarius turned her nose up. “It’s not that simple, brat. I  _ don’t _ know as much as you seem to think I do. I’ve figured it out through piecing together gaps in my memory.” 

Loke gasped. “You mean… you mean it’s not just me? You don’t remember the Eclipse Gate either?” 

Aquarius sighed. “No, I don’t. I don’t know how or why we could all forget such a thing, or why I’m the only one who seems to have worked back even a little ways to figure things out. Perhaps it was because of being so close with your family,” she told Lucy. 

“You said not to let the Gate destroy another Heartfilia,” Lucy said. 

Aquarius grimaced. “And you didn’t. That’s all that matters.” 

“But what did my family have to do with it?” she asked. “Please! Tell me! Does my father know?” 

Aquarius shook her head. “No. This is all from your mother’s side, you know that your father took her name.” 

“Then  _ tell me,” _ she pleaded. 

Aquarius’s eyes hardened. “No.” 

_ “No?” _ Lucy shrieked. 

“It’s not important anymore now that the Gate is gone,” Aquarius said. “And there’s no point in being hurt by your family history.” 

She vanished, returning to the Celestial Spirit Realm. 

Lucy groaned and threw her head back. “Are you fucking  _ kidding _ me?” 

Loke grimaced. So it wasn’t just him? None of the Zodiac remembered the Gate? But  _ why? _ What were they missing? What could possibly be powerful enough to wipe the memory of the twelve Zodiac spirits? Even those as powerful as Aquarius and himself? 

Something wasn’t right. 

* * *

Tears dripped down Ultear’s face, catching in the scars of cracks littering her cheeks. “They think I’m dead. But I’m right here. Meredy! Meredy, I’m  _ right here!”  _

Anna laid her hand on Ultear’s shoulder, but she shrugged the other woman off. 

Jellal and Meredy had made her a  _ grave. _ They had built her a simple,  _ gorgeous _ memorial, out in the mountains, a slab of marble, with her name intricately carved into it by Meredy’s own hand. They had built her a grave, and they were crying over a body that wasn’t there. 

“Meredy…” she whispered. She stepped forward, and held her hands out to cup her girlfriend’s cheeks. She knew if she touched her, she would pass right through her, she had tried so many times now. But if she let her hands hover just over the skin, it was almost like she could, like everything was okay. 

But then Meredy lurched forward to fall into Jellal’s chest as she sobbed, passing right through Ultear’s intangible body. 

“I’m sorry,” Ultear whispered, pressing her hands to her face, covering her eyes. “I’m sorry!” 

Anna sighed, and pulled Ultear close. “I’m so sorry. I know… that this must be hard to watch.” 

Ultear knew it was her own fault. She was the one who just couldn’t let Jellal and Meredy go, who couldn’t help but follow them, even as her essence was scattered throughout all of time, she couldn’t lose them, couldn’t leave them alone.

She could never leave them alone. 

Even if it hurt. 

“They don’t remember me,” Anna whispered. 

Ultear let her hands fall away from her face. “Huh?” 

The woman smiled slowly, softly. “Not a single person alive remembers me. My spirits, the children I raised. To them, I never existed. I always thought it was the cruelest fate imaginable, but then… I didn’t have to watch them mourn me.” 

“But why?” Ultear asked. “Why can they remember me, but not you?” 

Anna sat on the ground, giving the illusion of leaning against a snow covered tree, but Ultear knew if she tried, she would fall right through it. “The world may never know,” she said, turning her palms up. “Perhaps it’s a punishment from the gods. I meddled with time.” 

“But so did I!” Ultear screamed. “So did I!” 

“Yes,” Anna said. “But you sacrificed yourself out of the noble intent to save your friends, to save time itself. Maybe they were more lenient with you.” 

Ultear fell to her knees, Jellal and Meredy’s soft sobs still echoing over the mountains. “But it wasn’t noble… it was self-pitying, and useless, and I—” 

“And I turned five children into weapons of destruction to be used like playthings by the universe,” she said. “There was nothing good about it. I could have offered myself up, but I didn’t. I stole children away, to turn them into monsters, to tear them away from everything they knew, all to send them on a suicide run. I deserve this fate, that much is clear. It’s unfortunate that you were trapped in this prison with me.” 

Ultear looked over her shoulder, catching one more glance of Jellal and Meredy, and she  _ screamed.  _

* * *

“You’re just as fascinated by them as I am, aren’t you?” 

Zeref glanced up, unsurprised to see Mavis sitting on a tree branch, swinging her feet like she didn’t have a care in the world. 

“You know… I think you could argue that I have more of a personal connection to them than you,” he said. 

“Oh?” Mavis raised an eyebrow. “Because of Natsu? Are you even happy that he’s still alive?” 

Zeref shrugged. “Who’s to say?” His mind had been chasing itself in circles for so long that he had given up on trying to decipher his thoughts and feelings. “But… as you said, I  _ am _ fascinated by them.” 

Mavis hummed, closing her eyes and turning her face towards the wind, letting the breeze push her hair back from her face. “We’re entering the end, you know. It’s almost time.” 

_ End…  _ It _was_ almost the end, wasn’t it? “What will you do, Mavis, dear? Are you really going to enact her wishes? That’s uncharacteristically cruel of you.” 

Mavis’s easy smile twisted into a frown. “As if you know nothing of cruelty.” 

Zeref threw his head back and laughed. Oh, he had missed Mavis. Missed her dearly. “Tartaros is coming,” he warned her. “Do you really think your fairies can handle them?” 

“I think Tartaros will be the breaking point,” she said. “I think your failed experiments will help them realize the truth.” 

“An interesting theory,” Zeref said, beginning to pace back and forth. “I’m not quite sure if it’s accurate though. Or… maybe it is, but your truth and their truth is different.” 

Mavis sniffed, turning her head away, as if she couldn’t be bothered with him. 

“They could rebel against you, rebel against  _ her,” _ he said. “They obviously don’t like being told what to do.” 

Mavis narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know them.” 

He smiled. “Neither do you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we finally get Gray telling Erza and Natsu about everything


	40. Requests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray tells Natsu and Erza the truth, and asks them to do something for him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it really a sleepover with your best friends if you don't cry at least once because you got too deep and emotional, before you cuddle all night?

“So what’s this about?” Erza asked as she leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. 

Gray swallowed thickly. He’d put this off long enough. He should have told them about it as soon as Ultear had told him. 

Erza narrowed her eyes. “Gray?” she asked, concern lacing her voice. “What’s wrong?” 

Natsu gave him a worried look, probably picking up on his distress with his heightened senses. 

He rubbed at the markings on his wrist. He knew Erza and Natsu would know something weird was going on when he asked them to come over to his apartment. He rarely had them over, content to spend time with them either at the guildhall, or at Natsu’s. But this wasn’t a conversation he wanted the rest of the guild, or Gajeel and Wendy, to overhear. “Before she died, Ultear found out why the council reacted the way they did to Juvia’s father’s death.” 

The tension in Erza’s shoulders somehow managed to double, and he noticed Natsu’s claws sink into his kitchen table. 

“Apparently…” He took a deep breath. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, they weren’t going to hate him over something like this. “Apparently they’ve been watching our families for generations, because we’re dangerous.” 

“Dangerous how?” Erza asked. 

He spared them the details he’d learned after reading the files Ultear had given him, but explained what had happened hundreds of years ago, how his ancestors were responsible for the slaughter of  _ thousands. _ “When Juvia dies,” he said. “I’m going to become a demon. A  _ real _ demon.” 

“Well,” Erza began, with nowhere near the level of concern she should have about this. “It’s not like Juvia is going to die anytime soon. You’ll be fine.” 

Gray shook his head. “That’s what I said, too. But it already happened once…” 

“What? What the hell does that mean?” Natsu demanded. 

Gray fought back a shudder. He’d tried to forget what had happened in that altered timeline, but he  _ couldn’t. _ He could still feel Juvia’s blood on his skin, feel his body twisting into something else, feel his hand on Lyon’s chest, freezing him from the inside out. “During the battle, that reverse in time, it—it saved Juvia’s life. She… she  _ died.” _

“Fuck,” Natsu muttered. 

“She died, and I…” He crossed his arms, digging his fingers into his biceps. “I—I became a demon. I killed—” His voice cracked. “I killed Lyon. I was going to kill  _ everyone.” _

“Gray…” Erza stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. “That wasn’t you. You would never do that.” 

He didn’t hug her back, and he definitely didn’t believe her. 

“Right, Natsu?” Erza asked. 

Natsu glared down at the table. “Rogue blamed you, Gray. Well, you and Erza both. I don’t know why, but I heard him say so. I know you wouldn’t do anything on purpose to make him hate you so much, but—” 

Gray went rigid as he realized what Natsu was implying, and he jerked out of Erza’s hold. “It happens again. Juvia’s going to—She’s gonna  _ die, _ and I’m going to become that  _ monster _ again.” 

“Hey, no.” Erza grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “We’re not going to let that happen. Right, Natsu?” 

Natsu nodded, fire blazing in his eyes. 

“But it  _ will,” _ Gray argued. “Even if you stop it this time, Juvia will… she’s not gonna live forever.” 

“No…” Erza admitted, turning her head away. “But as morbid as it may be, there is no guarantee that you’ll live longer than her to begin with.” 

He shook his head. “I don’t want to be that thing again. I  _ can’t _ become that. I  _ can’t.” _

“You won’t,” Erza said. 

Gray glanced between her and Natsu. He knew how they were going to react to this, but they were the only people he trusted with this, the only ones he would want it to be. “If it does, I… I need you to do something for me.” 

“Of course!” Erza exclaimed. “We’ll pull you back!”

Natsu nodded.

“No,” Gray said. “You won’t be able to. I know you won’t.” He glanced away, unable to look them in the eyes. “I want you to kill me.” 

Natsu stood up so abruptly the chair he was sitting in fell over. “No!” he shouted. 

Erza stumbled backwards a step, her eyes wide as she slowly shook her head. “Gray, I can’t—I  _ won’t _ do that!” 

“I’m  _ asking _ you to!” he shouted. 

“No! We’ll pull you back, like Erza said!” Natsu argued. “Like you—Like you do for me!” 

“It’s not the same and you know it!” Gray snapped. “I’m  _ telling _ you, you  _ won’t be able to! _ I  _ knew _ who Lyon was, knew he was a friend, my  _ brother, _ and I killed him anyways! I don’t want to be that! I  _ can’t _ be that.” He braced his hands on the counter, bowing his head, letting his hair fall into his eyes.  _ “Please, _ please do that for me. Please…” He blinked back tears. He knew this would be difficult, knew they would protest, but he had never thought it would be this  _ hard. _ “Don’t let me be that… Promise me!” 

He felt Natsu press against him. “Okay,” he said. “I promise.” 

“Natsu!” Erza shrieked. 

Gray looked up, and he knew Natsu was telling the truth. If it came down to it, he would kill him. “Thank you.” 

“Natsu, how  _ could _ you—” 

“Because I know what it feels like,” he said quietly. “To not be able to control yourself, to hurt people you care about…” He sighed, a puff of smoke escaping with the breath. “If I knew no one could ever pull me back again, I’d be asking for the same thing.” 

Erza glanced between them, horror dancing her eyes. “Won’t you… Can’t you fight?” she asked.  _ “Fight  _ it! Don’t let it have you!” 

“I told you, it doesn’t work that way,” Gray said. “And even if I managed it, it wouldn’t be in time to stop myself from—I killed Lyon in less than a  _ minute. _ I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, even if somehow I came back to myself.” 

Tears pooled in Erza’s golden eye. “Why does it… Why does it have to be me?” she whispered. 

“I know it’s selfish,” he said. He  _ hated _ even the  _ thought _ of having to put Erza or Natsu through that. “But you’re the only two I trust. I know… I know you would be doing it because I  _ asked _ you, it would… it would be like saving me. If it were anyone else, to them… it would just be putting down a monster, and that’s not—” He forced back a sob. “That’s not how I want to die.” 

Natsu nosed at his cheek, a soft whine building in his throat. 

Erza took his hand, intertwining their fingers. “Very well, then. If it comes down to it, you can rely on my swords.” 

“Thank you,” he said, voice cracking.  _ “Thank you.” _

“But you better fight with every piece of your being to keep that from happening,” she said. “I refuse to lose you if I don’t have to, Gray.” 

He nodded. “I promise.” 

* * *

Erza and Natsu refused to leave him alone for the night after that, not that Gray would have expected anything else from them. They had piled into his bed, which was  _ way _ too small for the three of them, not that they cared, leaving him smashed in between them. He was just about to drift off, when Erza said quietly, “Master Mavis wouldn’t tell me about Faeries…” 

Gray shifted, turning over to see her staring at the ceiling, her golden eye almost glowing in the darkness. “Hm?”

“I asked Master Mavis about Faeries,” she said. “But she said it wasn’t time for me to know.” She frowned. “But why not? Why can’t I even know what I  _ am?” _

Gray forced himself to sit up, and flicked Natsu on the forehead. “Wake up, ash-breath.” 

He cracked an eye open, and yawned, giving Gray the perfect angle to see all his sharpened teeth. “What?” he asked, voice groggy. 

“Erza’s having an identity crisis,” he said. 

“I am not,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest, and still trying to glare a hole in the ceiling. “I just don’t think it’s fair of her to keep something like that from me.” 

Gray sighed. They’d already all cried today, might as well keep going with all the fun  _ feelings _ stuff. “You know… two of the only people who might kind of understand what that feels like are laying right next to you.” 

She shook her head. “It’s not that I don’t like being a Faerie. I don’t hate this body, I don’t hate what it can do. I just… I just want to know  _ why.” _

Gray glanced over at Natsu, who was being strangely quiet. 

“Master Mavis  _ knows,” _ she continued. “But she won’t tell me. Why? Do I not deserve it? Why not?” 

Natsu leaned over, took Erza’s hand, and pressed it against the scales lining his face. “Igneel knew this would happen to me,” he said. “There’s no way he didn’t. And he didn’t tell me. I don’t know if I’ll ever know why.” 

Gray looked at Natsu. Really  _ looked _ at him, even with only the moonlight filtering through the window to illuminate him, it was easy to see how  _ different _ he looked. Gray had grown so used to him like this, that he’d almost forgotten what he used to look like. No wings folded against his back, no scales on his face or arms, no claws tipping his fingers and no mouthful of fangs. Even his  _ eyes _ hadn’t used to look like that, they used to have a round pupil, they weren’t so sharp, weren’t so predatory. 

Did Natsu and Erza look at  _ him _ the same way? Did they remember what he looked like before he was covered in these markings, when he still had his old eyes? 

Were other members of the guild still a little startled when they saw them? In their minds, did they still picture how they used to look, rather than how they looked now? 

Erza gently ran her fingers across Natsu’s scales, before turning her attention to Gray’s own marking, tracing the sliver of it that slashed up his face with her thumb. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know what happened to me isn’t the same as you two. I shouldn’t be complaining.” 

Natsu shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. Just that Gray is right. I  _ understand _ wanting to know why,  _ needing _ to know why.” 

“We’ll find out together,” Erza said. 

Natsu grinned. “‘Course we will!” 

Erza settled back down, and curled into Gray’s side, wrapping her arms around his chest and burying her face in his shoulder. “Goodnight Gray, Natsu. Thank you.” 

“Goodnight, Erz.” Natsu laid across Gray’s chest, but he couldn’t find it in himself to complain, even as he was smashed beneath Natsu’s weight, and Erza nearly squeezed the breath out of him. 

Damn, he felt sorry for Mirajane, Jellal, and Lisanna. He couldn’t imagine sleeping with even one of them every night. 

Even if it was nice tonight. 

* * *

Flare had no idea why she was here. Even if she had nowhere to go, she couldn’t imagine a worse place for her to be. 

Magnolia was full of wizards who hated her, and she couldn’t blame them one bit. Not after everything she had done. 

Threatening that little girl, torturing Levy McGarden… If these people found out she was here, they would kill her, and she wouldn’t blame them at all. 

And yet… she couldn’t bring herself to leave, even if she couldn’t explain why. 

Just like she couldn’t explain why she had come to Magnolia after Raven Tail had fallen apart in the first place. 

She just knew she couldn’t leave. Not yet. 

* * *

“Oh! Oh! Gray! Erza! Natsu!” Lisanna called as soon as they walked into the guildhall. “A job request came in!” She waved the flier in question. “Specifically for the three of you!” 

Erza grabbed Natsu before he could snatch some of Gajeel’s breakfast off his plate and dragged him towards the bar, with Gray following. “All three of us?” she asked. 

Lisanna nodded. “Yep!” Ever since the Games, there had been a lot of requests for specific guild members, but there had yet to be one for all three of them together. She handed Erza the flier. “Here you go.” 

Erza skimmed the flier, her frown deepening the further she read. 

“What?” Gray asked. 

“It doesn’t say what the job is,” she said. “Do you know, Lisanna?” 

She shook her head. “Nope, no idea. Mira and I just sort through these as they come in. There’s so many now that we don’t really have time to speak with everyone dropping a request off or sending one in.” There had been so much work ever since the Games ended, for Mirajane, Kinana, herself,  _ and _ all the wizards who actually went on quests. 

Natsu hummed and looked over Erza’s shoulder. “You wanna leave today? Let me just grab Happy and let Gajeel and Wendy know.” 

Erza shrugged. “Why not? Besides, we need to handle these quests that ask for us specifically before they pile up.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sun Village time? Yep, Sun Village time


	41. Frozen Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warrod sends Erza, Gray, and Natsu to the Sun Village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the longer wait (again). I was finishing up my FMA fic and I always get really into writing a thing when I get close to the end

“Founder of Fairy Tail!?” Erza demanded as she shoved past Natsu and Gray, trying to get closer to Warrod. Gray winced as she shoved him down against the table he was sitting at, her elbow digging into his shoulder as she leaned on him. Natsu yelped as he was put in a very similar situation. 

Warrod chuckled. “Yes, as a matter of fact I was.” 

Gray shoved against Erza, sitting up again. He was just as shocked as she was, but at least he was being calm about it. 

He hadn’t expected the guy who hired them to be some kind of weird fucking tree, or associated with the magic council, but to find out he also had ties to Fairy Tail? Ties like  _ that? _ He couldn’t really blame Erza for getting worked up. 

“Do you know about Faer—” Erza began excitedly. 

Gray’s eyes widened as soon as he realized where the question was headed and he shoved his hand over her mouth. “Sorry about her,” he began. “She gets a little—  _ Ouch!” _ He jerked his hand back, staring at the little beads of blood dripping from the shallow teeth marks. “Did you just fucking  _ bite _ me?” 

Natsu snickered. “Nice job, Erz.” 

Erza rolled her eyes. “Don’t put your hands near my mouth.” 

“You guys are embarrassing,” Happy said, climbing onto Natsu’s shoulders, before licking his paw and running it over his ear. “Civilized people don’t bite others.” 

“You’re a fucking cat!” Natsu argued. 

Gray huffed, and turned back to Warrod. Of course he got stuck with the two weirdo best friends who liked biting people. Not to mention they had completely ruined any chances of a good first impression. 

But surprisingly, Warrod only laughed. “Glad to see the guild hasn’t mellowed out at all, even after all this time.” He turned back to one of the little plants he was tending. “Although, I suppose I could have come to that conclusion after seeing your performance in the Games.” 

“Is that why you hired us? Specifically?” Erza asked, getting back to business, thankfully. 

“Yes…” Warrod said carefully. “And no.” 

Natsu narrowed his eyes. “What in the hell does something like that mean?” 

“This job I’ve hired you for is one that has been troubling me for some time,” he began. “Because of my ties with the council, I could not go straight to Fairy Tail, as I’m sure you’re aware of your…” He hummed. “Reputation among them.” 

Natsu grinned, but Erza rubbed her temples, an exasperated sigh escaping her. 

“But thankfully, you winning the Games gave me the perfect excuse to get into touch with the guild again,” Warrod continued. “Of course I would want the strongest Fiore has to offer. As for why you three specifically…” He eyed them. “The place I am sending you to has an unsettling presence, one that I think would be best handled by… beings such as yourself.” 

“Oh, so you wanted us because we’re not  _ human,” _ Gray said as he rubbed at the white bands on his wrist. Just what kind of job was this? 

“I suppose so,” Warrod said. 

Gray glanced to Erza and Natsu. They didn’t seem bothered at all by that. 

“What, exactly, are you wanting us to do?” Erza asked. 

“There’s a village out in the mountains,” Warrod said. “And it’s been completely frozen. Like I said, it’s extremely unnatural. I would like you three to investigate what might have caused this, and, if at all possible, unfreeze the village.” 

That actually seemed like something they could handle relatively easy. Ice was kind of Gray’s area of expertise, and with Natsu and Erza’s crazy senses, it would be a cinch for them to hunt down whoever or whatever might have caused such a thing. 

“That sounds easy as hell,” Natsu whined, no doubt disappointed about not being able to punch something. 

Happy nodded in agreement. 

Warrod grimaced. “Do not take this task lightly.” 

Erza whacked the back of Natsu’s head. “Yeah,  _ Natsu,” _ she hissed. “Don’t take it lightly.” Though Gray could tell she was more embarrassed about being scolded by Warrod than actually thinking the mission would be overly dangerous. 

“I wish you luck,” Warrod said. “And of course, the reward I promised will be yours, as well as any  _ questions _ you might have.” He gave Erza a knowing look with the last statement. 

She nodded. “Right! Let’s get going!” 

* * *

“Why did you stop me from asking him about Faeries?” Erza asked. 

Gray tore his gaze away from the ground, desperately trying not to focus on the ground, and the fact that he was on a giant fucking tree thing being launched at, quite frankly, alarming speeds, towards a frozen village. “I didn’t think it would go anywhere.” 

“I think he knows!” she argued. “And what was the harm in asking?” 

Gray shrugged. “I don’t know. It just didn’t feel like the right time. He may like us ‘cause we’re Fairy Tail members, but he doesn’t really  _ trust _ us. I think he’ll be more open with us after the job.” 

Erza huffed and crossed her arms. 

“He’s right, Erz,” Natsu said. “I could sense he wasn’t gonna talk.” 

“You know you can open your eyes, right?” Gray said. “It’s actually kind of pretty.” 

“Yeah!” Happy exclaimed. “You can see for miles!” 

“Nuh uh.” Natsu shook his head, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. “I don’t know why I’m not hurling right now, but I’m not gonna test my luck by seeing how fast we’re moving.” 

* * *

As soon as they reached the village, Gray realized that Warrod was right. 

They had seriously downplayed how dangerous this might be. 

As soon as he stepped foot into the village, a violent tremor wracked his body. He hadn’t felt feelings like this since… 

Since Galuna Island. 

“Demons,” he whispered. There was something  _ demonic _ here. 

Natsu’s wings were tensed up, flared slightly, like he was trying to appear larger, and he wildly glanced around, eyes wary, a growl thrumming softly from his chest. “Thought so, too…” he muttered. 

Erza hummed, and ran her fingers across one of the frozen houses. The  _ huge _ frozen houses. “Warrod was right. This is unnatural.” She gazed out across the village. “I didn’t even know there were giants this close to civilization.” 

“You call this close to civilization?” Happy asked. “We’re in the middle of nowhere!” 

Gray tuned them out, trying to quell the tremors running down his spine. The strange demonic presence wasn’t even the part that had him most on edge. 

It was the ice itself. The purple tint it had reminded him all too much of the ice he hadn’t been able to control during the Games. It was the  _ exact same. _ “It’s like my ice,” he muttered, joining Erza next to the house. He reached out to touch it, but pulled away. “When I accidentally used slayer magic.” 

Erza shot him a wary glance. He’d told her about it the same night he’d asked her and Natsu to kill him, and while he may have been a little more open to the idea of Natsu teaching him out to control it… he still wasn’t exactly thrilled with this new skillset he might have. 

He still hadn’t actually used slayer magic again, not that he had tried very hard, but however it was developing, it was a slow process. 

_ Not _ that he wanted it to be any quicker. 

Natsu was already sniffing around, Happy right on his heels, evidently having found some interesting scents. “There’s been people here, recently… but…” He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. “They weren’t the ones that did this. The magic is too… weird.” Then he frowned. “But there’s…” He shuddered, his eyes snapping back open. “Don’t like that!” 

“What?” Erza asked, beginning to sniff at the air as well. 

Natsu held his hand over his nose and shook his head. “Smells like Deliora.” 

_ “What?” _ Gray hissed. 

“Not exactly, but similar…” Natsu said. “It…” He groaned and held his hand to his chest. “Feels just like it did on that island.” 

“Natsu!” Erza darted over to inspect him. 

He waved her off. “‘M fine. Just feels weird.” 

Happy pawed at Natsu’s leg, a worried look in his eyes. 

Gray frowned. He hadn’t forgotten Natsu’s strange reaction to Deliora on Galuna, and Erza had told him how he’d been in excruciating pain after Hades had summoned his own demons. For some reason, Natsu could not only sense demons, but they caused him to completely fall apart. 

Erza narrowed her eyes. “I’ll follow the demon scent. You and Gray go after the people.” 

“Wha—  _ Erza!” _ Natsu shouted. 

“Are you  _ crazy!?” _ Gray demanded. Like hell they were letting her run after some demonic presence on her own! 

She crossed her arms and glared at them. “The last thing  _ you two _ need is to end up fighting a demon. Or have you forgotten how well that’s gone the past couple times.” 

Natsu began to protest, but Gray didn’t have it in him. Never mind Hades' demons, when he’d been completely useless, screaming and writhing in pain as all those demons invaded his mind, but Deliora… 

He had been so close to killing himself with Iced Shell. 

Maybe Erza was right… 

“She’s right, man.” He grabbed Natsu’s shoulder and dragged him away. “Let her handle this.” 

“Gray!” 

“Look,” he hissed. “Like it or not, for some reason, demons know how to push all our damn buttons. We’d just get in her way.” 

Natsu snarled and jerked away from Gray, but he didn’t try to follow Erza. “Happy, go with Erza so you can come get us if she needs help.” 

Happy nodded. “Aye, sir!” 

* * *

Erza was nowhere near as good as Natsu when it came to tracking scents, so it took her awhile to pin down the exact demonic scent that Natsu had been talking about, but she managed it. 

It made her nose burn. 

She had no idea what might have happened in this village, but something told her this was going to be a hell of a lot harder than they had imagined. 

* * *

“Well, you were right about them not being the ones responsible for turning this place into ice,” Gray said with a glare towards the two wizards that he’d frozen to the ground. 

“Fuck you!” one of them hissed. 

Natsu stuck his tongue out at him. 

Gray elbowed him. “Be a little professional.” 

The pair of wizards had ambushed them within a few minutes of separating from Erza, convinced they were here for the same reason they were. 

They were treasure hunters, interested only in looting this village. 

Gray didn’t care. He was more pissed that they had attacked them without any cause. Though it was a little amusing that they believed they could handle them so easily. 

Natsu circled the pair of them, and they shifted, best they could within Gray’s ice, obviously getting a little nervous as they realized they were out of their league. 

“The hell do you want with us?” one of them asked. 

Natsu leaned towards him and grinned. “Nothing much!” 

Gray grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back. “Are you with a guild?” 

“None of your damn business!” they both snapped. 

Gray nearly groaned. He may not care why they were here or what they were after, but for them to be all the way in these mountains, surely they must know  _ something _ about this village. Had they been hired by someone? Or were they doing this of their own accord? “I’ll let the dragon have his fun with you if you don’t tell me,” he said. 

Natsu’s grin melted into a snarl, and trails of smoke leaked from between his bared teeth. 

The man paled, and shouted, “We’re with a guild called Sylph Labyrinth! We’re only here because of an alliance with Succubus Eye! They were hired by someone, and promised us a cut of the reward if we helped!”

Gray frowned. That was… odd. Obviously, this didn’t seem like a large scale operation. Why would guilds form an alliance for something like this? “What’s the job?” 

“All we were told was to melt the ice with this Moon Drip stuff,” the other man said. “That’s all the Succubus Eye woman would tell us!” 

_ Moon Drip? _ “Ain’t that the stuff they used to melt Deliora free on Galuna Island?” he asked, an awful sense of familiarity coming over him. 

Natsu glanced at him, before shrugging. “You think I remember that shit? Come on, man.” 

Gray supposed that was fair. Natsu’s memory was a fucking nightmare, he couldn’t be expected to remember little details like that. “So you were gonna loot the place when you were done, get a little extra profit?” 

“Well why the hell not?” he demanded. “Ain’t no one here gonna use any of this shit that’s been frozen!” 

Natsu growled. 

“Look, I’m not dyin’ for that crazy Succubus bitch and it ain’t like we’ve found anything here worth shit!” he said. “So how’s about you just unfreeze us and we’ll fuck right off, alright? You think I don’t know who you are? Ain’t exactly a lot of fucking dragons runnin’ around anymore!” He jerked against the ice. “I’m not about to get gutted by you fucking crazy Fairy Tail fuckers!” 

Gray rolled his eyes. “We’re not gonna fucking kill you.” He forced his ice to melt away, and held his hand out. “Just give me the Moon Drip and get the hell out of here.” 

The man hastily handed over a small vile, before sprinting off in the other direction, his partner following him. 

“You really think they’re gonna leave?” Natsu asked. 

Gray shrugged. “Who cares? Not like they caused us a lot of trouble anyways. Besides, think you about gave them heart attacks.” He held the vile up, inspecting the thick, pinkish liquid. “Think we could use this to melt this place like Warrod wanted?”

“One way to find out!” Natsu snatched the vile Gray’s hand and opened it. 

“Wait!” 

He poured it over the icy ground. 

“Natsu!” Gray shouted. 

“What?” he asked. “Either it’s gonna work or it’s not.” 

Gray sighed and shook his head, not sure what else he should have expected from him. 

The ice cracked, a small patch of it beginning to fade. “I don’t think it was enough to really do anyth—” Gray began. 

Natsu’s eyes widened, and he fell to his knees, leaning down to press his ear against the ice. 

“The hell are you doing?” 

“Shut up.” He pressed closer. “I hear voices.” 

“What are they saying?” he asked. 

Natsu narrowed his eyes. “Can’t tell.” He got up and flared his wings. “But I can follow them.” 

“Wait, Natsu!” 

He took off, those goddamn wings stirring up the snow and cold air. Gray sputtered and stumbled backwards a step. “Dammit, you idiot!” With the possible demons, and the Succubus Eye guild those men had mentioned, the last thing they needed to be doing was separating! Especially with Erza already off by herself! 

He groaned, and stomped off in the direction Natsu had gone. 

* * *

Natsu didn’t like this village. Not one damn bit. There were too many dark presences here, assaulting his senses from every direction. Gray and Erza could both feel it to some degree, but not as well as him. Gray didn’t have the ability, and Erza simply hadn’t refined her senses enough yet, she still wasn’t used to them. 

He wanted to get this over with and get out of here as quickly as possible. 

The voice grew louder, as did an unfamiliar scent. He dropped back to the ground, curling his wings around him. If he could get the jump on whoever this was… That would probably be best. He didn’t like the feeling in the air. 

His ears twitched, picking up footsteps, and he crept through the frozen underbrush. 

_ Just one guy? _ he realized when he saw him. This should be pretty easy. Although… that feeling only grew worse the closer he got. 

He grit his teeth and rolled his shoulders. It wasn’t like it mattered. They needed to get this done and get the hell out of here. 

Just before he pounced, the man whipped around, an unsettling smile plastered across his face. “I know you’re there…” 

Natsu went rigid, an awful feeling unfurling in his chest. He stumbled out of the bushes, clawing at his skin as the feeling spread. “What… What…” The world spun, the worst vertigo he had ever experienced coming over him, and that was really saying something. 

He fell onto his side, curling up, desperately trying to stop the tremors wracking his body.  _ What the hell is this?  _ He clenched his fists, hoping his claws digging into his palms might help ground him, but all he felt were dull fingernails. 

He held his shaking hand up, and gasped. His claws were  _ gone!  _ So were the scales on his arms, and— 

He cried out, trying to move his wings, but there was  _ nothing there!  _

_ What the hell? What the  _ hell!? 

His clothes felt way too big, his body was too small, it didn’t feel  _ right. _ This was  _ wrong!  _

The world was dulling. It was too quiet, there were no more scents. He was being  _ smothered.  _ He had no idea what was going on around him! Even his eyesight was deteriorating! The world was blurry and unfocused, and he couldn’t sense a  _ damn thing!  _

He bit his lip, before crying out, not liking how dull his teeth felt against it. 

He tried to force himself up, but his body wasn’t moving right. He wobbled, before collapsing again. He writhed in the snow, confused, and  _ scared. _ Why was everything so muffled? He was blind, and deaf, and he had never realized how much he had really relied on his sense of smell before, even when he’d been muzzled. He whined, and clutched at his head.

“Wow, I’ve never seen this incapacitate someone so thoroughly,” the man said. “It’s kind of pathetic.” 

Natsu held his shaking hand out, desperately trying to call on his fire, fighting through the panic racing through him. 

But barely a spark came from his fingertips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's demon time, awe yeah!!


	42. Eternal Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza encounters Minerva, Gray faces Doriate, and Flare leads Natsu to the Eternal Flame

Sun Village was a hellhole, and Minerva fucking hated it. It was cold, and ugly, and in the middle of nowhere. She was never going to forgive the damn Succubus Eye Master for sending her on this goddamn quest. After she got out of here, she was going to leave that fucking useless guild. The were practically a dark guild, not that she had anything against that, but their power and influence was laughable. They didn’t  _ deserve _ someone like her. 

Although… she supposed she could thank them for this job, if only because it gave her another chance at Erza Scarlet. 

She had never expected that Fairy Tail would be out in this backwoods village, let alone serve her Erza on a silver platter. 

With enemies here, it was only a matter of time for Doriate so start using his magic.  _ Not _ that Minerva needed the help, but it would be extremely satisfying to tear Erza limb from limb while she was at her weakest. 

She nearly laughed thinking about it, and her fingers twitched in anticipation. 

How would she do it? Tear her in half with her territory magic? Cut her up? Rip her head off? Strangle her? Each option sounded even better than the last. 

Minerva slunk out of her hiding spot. “Well, well, well, whatever is a little fairy doing out here?” she asked. 

Erza’s armor changed in a blink, two swords appearing in her hands as she whipped around, glaring at Minerva and baring her teeth. The blue cat at her heels fluffed his fur up and hissed. “Minerva. What the hell are you doing here?” 

She placed a hand on her hip. “Working a job for my guild.” 

“You left Sabertooth,” she said. 

Minerva scoffed. “Did I say Sabertooth? Those weak bastards weren’t worth my time. No, I’m here for a client of Succubus Eye.” She wasn’t entirely sure  _ who _ the client was, but she knew they were connected to Doriate in some way. 

The tension in Erza’s shoulders doubled. “Sting and Rogue are  _ looking _ for you—” 

Minerva hissed. She couldn’t imagine why the hell they would be. No, Erza was lying. Lying, or Sting and Rogue were out for revenge, because they sure as hell didn’t give a damn what became of her. They  _ hated _ her. 

She raised her hands, letting her magic build in her palms. 

“Don’t be a fool, Minerva!” Erza shouted. “You know how this will end!” 

“I’ll go get Natsu!” the cat exclaimed, before bounding off. 

Minerva snarled, and released her magic. 

* * *

Snow and ice crunched beneath Gray’s boots. He still couldn’t believe Natsu had run off on him like that. He was going to  _ kill _ him when he found him again. He shoved aside a clump of frozen undergrowth, biting back a curse. He wanted out of this damn village! 

“Gray!” 

He glanced over his shoulder. “Natsu, you idiot, I’m gonna—” His eyes widened. “Wha—  _ Natsu!?”  _

Natsu stumbled towards him, panic written all over his features, not that Gray could blame him. He was  _ tiny! _ Had Natsu really been so small as a kid? Why the hell  _ was _ he a kid? He looked even younger than he had when he’d joined Fairy Tail! 

“We have to get out of here,” he whimpered. He staggered into Gray legs, clutching at him. “My magic— I can’t—” His chest heaved with deep, panicked breaths. “I can’t smell anything…. I can’t hear your heart…” 

Gray kneeled down, taking in how  _ human _ Natsu looked. No wings, no scales, no claws. Had his senses disappeared with all his other draconic attributes? “What happened? What did this?” 

Natsu shook his head, and threw himself into Gray’s chest. “We can’t fight him. I-I-I just barely got—” His body began to tremble, and he choked back a sob. “Away. I just—I just ran, and I—” He held Gray in a death grip. “I c-can’t smell, or hear, or—or even see, and I… I’m  _ scared!” _ he wailed. 

Something in Gray’s chest broke. He’d  _ never _ seen Natsu so terrified. But he knew how much he relied on his senses, how important they were to him. To have something like that ripped away… trapped in a body you weren’t used to, Gray couldn’t blame him at all. 

“I don’t even have my fire,” he whispered. “No fire… I’m so  _ cold.” _

“I’m sorry, I know you’re scared,” Gray said. “But you need to tell me what happened, so I can help.” If Natsu couldn’t even tell him what had happened, there was no way Gray could help him undo whatever magic had caused this. 

Natsu looked up at him, tears swimming in his eyes. “Some—Some guy… it was his magic. I collapsed and—and he wasn't take me seriously, and I just  _ ran— _ I’m sorry!” 

Gray roughly set his hand on Natsu’s head, petting his hair, but it didn’t have the calming effect that it normally did, which only made him more worried. 

He realized… that he didn’t know what to do with human Natsu. He didn’t know how to comfort him, without relying on the touch that the dragon slayer was so dependent on. “I’ll fix it, okay?” 

Natsu bit at his lip, but nodded. “O-Okay.” 

“Natsu! Gray!” Happy dropped down next to them. “Erza is—” He yowled in shock as soon as he saw Natsu. 

Gray grit his teeth. Right now, Erza was just going to have to handle herself. “Happy, get Natsu out of here. Keep him safe, okay? I have something I have to take care of.” 

Happy nodded and crept closer to Natsu. “Natsu? You need me to carry you?” 

Natsu grabbed Happy, and held him to his chest. 

“Natsu!” he protested. 

Gray sighed. He was just going to have to trust Happy to handle Natsu right now. He couldn’t wait around any longer, and it was likely the wizard responsible for what had happened to Natsu was looking for them. It was only a matter of time before he found them. 

He patted Natsu’s head again, unsure of what else to do for him in this state. “I’ll be right back. I promise I’ll fix this.” 

* * *

Erza blocked a wave of Minerva’s magic. 

She had defeated her once, with broken bones and without being at her full power, it was ridiculous that Minerva seriously believed she could win now. 

But she was attacking with a vengeance, not letting up at all. 

During the Games, Erza had been angry, uncaring if she accidentally killed Minerva during the fight. But now… she had to be cautious. She had no idea why Rogue may have hated her so much, but she did not want to cause that disastrous future by letting her anger get the better of her and killing someone he cared about. 

Because… according to his siblings, he  _ did _ care about Minerva, in some strange way. 

She held her sword up, slicing through her magic. “Minerva,” she said through gritted teeth.  _ “Don’t _ do this. Go back to Sabertooth.  _ Right now!”  _

Minerva began to snap back some retort, but Erza stumbled backwards, holding her hand to her chest as a strange, foreign magic came over her. She cried out, feeling her body start to shrink, pieces of her armor slipping off, hitting the icy ground with a horrific  _ clang!  _ Her swords disappeared from her grasp, and suddenly she was looking up at Minerva, one hand clutching at her skirt’s waistband to keep it from sliding down her legs. 

Minerva bared her teeth in a terrifying smile. 

Erza tried to summon her sword again, but all she got was one of her old, smaller ones, one of her first swords, that she  _ never _ used in battle anymore. 

She swallowed thickly as she realized what had happened.  _ My magic… has regressed?  _

“What’s wrong,  _ Erza?” _ Minerva purred. “Afraid now?” 

She knew that magic like this was not an ability that Minerva had, meaning that another wizard must be nearby, working with her, because she was not at all surprised by this development, or affected by the same magic. 

But it didn’t matter. She had faced worse before. She would not back down. 

She held her little sword out. 

* * *

Gray followed Natsu’s messy tracks through the snow, and it didn’t take him long to find the man responsible for the strange spell that had de-aged Natsu. 

As soon as he was in his presence, Gray’s marking’s began to tingle, an irritating pin pricking sensation, reminiscent of his time on Galuna, just before the pain had set in. 

He could only hope his bond with Juvia prevented that pain again. 

He needed to end this quickly, before Natsu got even more panicked and completely broke down. 

“Ice make: lance!” he shouted, sending the attack towards him before he could realize Gray was there. He was going to make him  _ pay _ for doing that to Natsu! 

The man easily dodged the attack, and as soon as he caught sight of Gray, his eyes lit up. “Mistress Seilah will be pleased.” 

Gray scowled, deciding not to dwell on the words, and sent another attack towards the man, but he avoided it just as easily as the first. “Who the hell are you?” he demanded. He’d never felt a wizard or magic with energy like this. It felt… It felt… 

His eyes widened, and he stumbled back a pace.  _ This _ was the source of the demonic presence here. 

“Figured it out, did ya?” he asked. “Looks like the demon blood in you is good for somethin.’ Thought Mistress Seilah was crazy for wanting you so bad, Fullbuster.” He held his hand out. “She doesn’t need you alive so long as your body’s in one piece though.” 

Gray’s body suddenly felt very foreign, and he watched with morbid fascination as the markings on his arm faded away, completely disappearing. “What…?” 

He jerked back, realizing what was happening a second too late as his body shrank.  _ Oh, fuck!  _ His back slammed into a tree, and the world spun for a second as his perspective shifted. 

He grit his teeth, fighting through the discomfort. This didn’t matter! Sure, it sucked, but he could handle it. He wasn’t completely losing himself like Natsu. He was just… smaller now. He threw his hand out, calling on his magic. 

Small, uneven hunks of ice appeared, falling short of the man. Gray yelped and pressed closer to the tree. That was just like when he’d first started using magic. Had his abilities seriously regressed along with his body? 

Natsu muttering about how cold he was and how he didn’t have his fire flashed through his mind, and he squeaked in alarm. How fucking  _ stupid _ was he? 

The man lurched forward, and grabbed a handful of Gray’s hair. 

He gasped, and scrabbled at his hand, but he was too strong. 

The man laughed as he struggled, before lifting him off the ground and slamming him against the tree. Gray cried out as the wind was knocked out of him, and he felt his spine crack. He was thrown to the ground, and before he could force himself back up, the man’s foot slammed down on his chest. 

He wheezed, and clawed uselessly at his leg. 

The man’s face twisted as he leaned down, morphing into something else. Something  _ demonic. _ “Come on, little brat. Maybe I won’t kill you if you stop fighting.” He grinned, showing off teeth that were too large for his mouth. “You’ll make a nice lab rat for Mistress Seilah.” 

Phantom pains of Deliora’s claws digging into his chest flared to life. “No…” he whimpered. He tried to wriggle himself free, but the demon only shoved down harder. 

_ No, no, no, not again.  _ He clutched at handfuls of snow, and it was  _ cold. _ So cold… 

He’d forgotten what the cold felt like. 

_ “No!” _ he screamed. “No! Let me go!” He couldn’t die like this, not at a demon’s hand. Just like his parents, just like Ur. He couldn’t be given to whoever this  _ Seilah _ was. 

His chest heaved, straining beneath the weight, and his vision began to go fuzzy at the edges as he panicked. He forced his shaking hand up, calling on his magic. 

_ Please….  _ Please! 

He couldn’t do this again… 

* * *

“Do you need help? Are you lost?” 

Natsu jerked his head up, and he clutched Happy tighter. He squinted, taking in the woman’s bright red hair and eyes, trying to figure out where he’d seen her before. He took a deep breath, needing her scent to help place her, but got nothing. 

She kneeled down. “What’s a little kid like you doing out here in place like this?” 

Happy clawed his way out of Natsu’s arms and jumped protectively in front of him, puffing his fur up and flaring his wings. “Get away from him!” he hissed. 

“Happy…” Natsu reached out for him. 

Happy shook his head. “She’s that crazy Raven Tail lady! The one that hurt Levy!” 

Natsu’s eyes widened as it clicked. Flare Corona, the one who had threatened Asca and  _ tortured _ Levy! He pushed himself backwards, before trying to send a burst of flame towards her, his frustration and panic only building as he only produced a few flickers of fire. 

“You’re with Fairy Tail?” She cocked her head, her wide eyes growing even more unsettling as she stared at him. “That can’t be right… The dragon one, sword one, and ice one came out here. No kids…” 

“Were you  _ following _ us?” Happy demanded. 

“I just…” Flare sighed and stood back up. “I don’t know…” She held her hand out. “But either way, you must be cold. I know where there’s some fire here. Pretty, pretty fire.” 

Natsu stared at her hand. It was tempting, so,  _ so _ tempting to take it. He wanted fire, he wanted to be  _ warm, _ but he couldn’t trust her! Normally he would rely on his senses to figure out someone’s intentions or if they were lying, but he couldn’t do that now! And Flare had been an enemy in the past. 

He shook his head. 

“Please,” she said. “Pretty please?” She tugged at one of her braids. “I just wanna help you. Little kids out in the mountains…. Let me help.” 

“Natsu…” Happy warned. 

If he got to fire… maybe it would help. Maybe it would help get his magic back, and then he could get to Erza and Gray, who were alone, and fighting, while he was sitting here, shaking and scared and  _ useless. _

He took Flare’s hand. “Take me to the fire.” 

* * *

A small piece of sharpened ice embedded itself in the demon’s chest, shocking him enough to stumble back a step. 

Gray scrambled to his feet, and he ran. He had to put some distance between them, and then maybe he could think of something, because this wasn’t a fight he could win with brute strength. He had to  _ think. _

_ His mother’s bloody hand holding him one last time. Everyone in the village screaming. His father’s glassy, unseeing eyes. Deliora’s claws in his chest. Ur dissolving into light.  _

He fell to his knees, clutching at his head. He didn’t want to be remembering these things! He needed to  _ fight!  _

But his magic was weak, unreliable, there was no way he would be able to freeze that demon. No way in hell. 

He held his hand out, but all he was able to produce was a small icicle. He bit back a scream of frustration.  _ What the hell am I supposed to do with this!?  _ He slammed it into the ground, jagged pieces breaking off. 

Gray stared at it, before running his finger along the edge of the ice. 

The  _ sharp _ edge. 

He clutched the icicle to his chest, and forced himself back to his feet. 

“I’ll snap your fucking neck you little bastard!” the demon shouted as he lumbered out of the trees. 

Gray whipped around, trying to fight back the shivers running through his bones.  _ I just need a decent angle, that’s it.  _

The demon lunged for him, and Gray forced himself to wait, to stand still. It went against every instinct in him, screaming at him to run, to fight, to do  _ anything _ but just  _ stand there.  _

The demon wrapped his hand around his neck, and Gray moved. 

He surged up, jamming the broken icicle into his throat. 

* * *

Flare dragged Natsu through the village, with Happy chasing after them, protesting the entire way. He did his best to keep up with her, but he was so much damn smaller than her now, not to mention that his clothes were too big and kept getting in the fucking way. 

Finally, she stopped, and Natsu slammed into her backside. “No, that’s not— That can’t be right,” she said, shaking her head. 

“Where’s the fire?” he asked, looking around. 

“It—” Flare pointed towards a massive spire of ice. “It’s supposed to be right here! That flame is never supposed to go out! What the hell is wrong with it?” 

* * *

Erza cried out as the world around her flipped, and the ground disappeared. For a split second it was dark, then bright light exploded, and a second later, she was slammed into the ground. Her head cracked against the ice, and her sword clattered out of her hand. 

Minerva appeared over her, a feral smile on her face. “I want to kill you so bad…” 

Erza pushed herself backwards. 

“But I want to make sure you  _ suffer _ first!” 

The air around Erza began to warp again, shimmering with Minerva’s power just before she swapped space. 

Erza threw herself forward, narrowly avoiding the explosion of Minerva’s power. She reached for her sword, but Minerva kicked it out of the way. “You’re  _ nothing,” _ she hissed. “Nothing but a pathetic weakling.” 

Erza grit her teeth, and forced herself up on shaking legs. “I don’t know why Rogue wants to save you,” she spit. “You relish in cruelty and suffering and I  _ wish _ I had killed you during the Games.” Minerva was a monster, and everything she did proved that. What good had she ever done? She’d tortured Wendy and Milliana, stabbed Kagura in the back, fled the capital during the battle against the dragons, and manipulated Sting for  _ years. _ What  _ good _ was there in her? 

She was an  _ enemy, _ undeserving of mercy. 

“You think you’re better than me,” Minerva snarled, before slamming Erza into a wall. “So much better than me! You’re not!” she screamed. “You’re  _ not!”  _

Erza gasped. 

Minerva kicked her in the chest. “You’re not better than me! No one’s better than me! I do what I have to, and it makes everyone hate me! It’s not my fucking fault!” She kicked her again, and Erza curled up, trying to protect her head and torso from the worst of the blows. “If protecting myself makes me so awful then I’ll be  _ awful! _ I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” 

Erza slid across the icy ground, clutching at her aching body. 

She needed her  _ magic _ back! 

A sudden sense of calm came over her body, and she felt her power level rising, her body shifting and changing again. 

_ Growing.  _

She let out a breath of relief. Natsu or Gray must have dealt with who or whatever had been responsible for the spell. 

Minerva’s eyes widened as Erza forced herself back to her feet, summoning a new set of armor. “No,” she whispered. “No, no, no, no!” 

Erza raised her sword. 

* * *

Gray fell backwards as blood splattered against him, covering his face and chest. Snow crunched around his body as he landed. 

The demon choked, blood bubbling up around the icicle, before pouring from the hole in his throat as he ripped it out. He fell face first in the snow, blood soaking into the ground. 

Gray went limp, letting his head fall back into the snow, and he tried to steady his breathing, even as the demon’s magic disappeared, giving him his body back. He held his hand up, watching as the black markings spread across his skin again. 

The air wasn’t cold anymore, and the snow felt nice against his back. 

He needed to get up. He needed to find Natsu and Erza, make sure they were all right. 

But that demon… 

He shuddered. He’d known what he was,  _ who _ he was, and from the sounds of it, he wasn’t the only one. 

_ Seilah. _

He had never heard the name before. He wondered if Juvia might have, if she had heard it from her family at some point. 

Whatever the case, something told him that that wasn’t the last time he would be fighting a demon. 

He got up with a groan, doing his best not to think about it. 

Doing his best to forget about his family’s lifeless bodies. 

* * *

Natsu buried his nose in Happy’s fur, relishing in the familiar scent of his friend. That was  _ awful. _ He never wanted to be without his senses again. He would rather  _ die. _

_ “You’re _ the dragon?” Flare asked, awe, and maybe a little fear, in her voice. 

Natsu glanced up at her, still not quite sure what to make of her. “Yeah.” He curled his wings around his body, relieved to have them back almost as much as his senses. 

“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I didn’t— I thought—” 

“It’s fine.” Natsu turned his head away, more than a little ashamed that she had seen him like that. 

“Are you okay now?” Happy asked, nuzzling against him. “I was really worried about you.” 

“Yeah, I’m okay, buddy,” he promised. 

“Natsu!” Gray called. “You’re okay!” 

The scent of blood tickled his nose, and Natsu noticed Gray was  _ covered _ in it as he approached him. He put Happy down and dashed towards him. “Are you okay?” he demanded, grabbing his shoulders and sniffing at him. “What did this? Are you hurt?” 

“Natsu, Natsu, I’m fine,” he assured him, though his voice shook. “It’s not my blood.” 

Natsu held him tighter. “Gray…” 

He glanced away. “I’ll be okay. What about you? Are your senses back to normal?” 

He nodded, and leaned closer to press his face into Gray’s shoulder. It had been  _ terrible _ to be right next to Gray,  _ so close _ to him, but to not have his scent. It was almost like he wasn’t completely there without it. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Gray pet the back of his hair. “You’re okay now.” 

“It was  _ awful,” _ he muttered. 

“I know, I’m sor—” He pulled back. “Is that that crazy Raven Tail chick?” 

Flare squeaked, and hid behind the wall she was peaking around. 

“She tried to help me,” Natsu said, stepping away from Gray. “I don’t know why… But I don’t think she wants to hurt anyone anymore.” 

Gray frowned. “It’s Flare, right?” 

Flare peered around the wall, and nodded. 

“The hell are you doing out here?” he asked. 

“I followed you,” she said softly. “I-I don’t know why, it just—it just seemed right. And now I—” She clutched at the corner of the house. “I’m glad I’m back here, but it’s  _ wrong _ now.” Tears built in her eyes. “The flame has gone out.” 

“Flame?” 

Natsu pointed towards the ice. “She thinks that’s supposed to be a big fire.” 

Gray frowned and stepped towards the mass of ice, gently laying his hands on it, before closing his eyes. 

“What’s he doing?” Happy asked. 

“He’s gonna try and melt the ice,” Natsu realized. 

* * *

Flare had no idea why the two Fairy Tail mages weren’t trying to kill her. She thought for sure they would if they ever saw her again, let alone realized she had been following them. 

But they didn’t seem to care. They just seemed confused as to why she was here. 

She couldn’t believe they had led her back to this village. She hadn’t thought she would ever return. 

But she wished it could have been under better circumstances. Not coming back to everyone and everything frozen. 

Then she watched Gray lay his hands on the Eternal Flame, as the ice began to melt beneath his palms, and Natsu joined him, feeding the flickering fire with his own flames. 

Flare’s hands came up to cover her mouth as the fire exploded, breathing life into the village once more. 

* * *

As soon as the fire flared to life, Natsu stumbled backwards. 

He  _ knew _ that presence. 

“Uncle?” he dared to ask. 

_ “What?” _ Gray demanded. 

Atlas Flame blinked his eyes open, before leaning down to sniff at Natsu. “Son of Igneel,” he rumbled. 

Natsu grinned and leaned against Atlas Flame’s snout. “You’re alive!” He didn’t think he’d ever see Atlas Flame again, with him vanishing like he had, disappearing, just like Igneel had. 

“Not quite, my prince,” he said. 

Natsu jerked back. “Huh?” 

“What’s going on?” Happy whispered as he flew up to rest on Gray’s shoulders. 

Gray shrugged. 

Atlas Flame huffed, and nudged Natsu backwards. “I have been watching over this village for centuries now, slumbering, but this ice took what little power I had left. The ice of a demon slayer is a powerful thing.” 

Natsu glanced back at Gray, to see him stiffen. “Demon slayer…” he whispered. “But I… If I give you my fire, then maybe—” 

Atlas Flame shook his head. “It is only because of you that I am here now. You’ve reached out to my spirit.” 

“No—No I didn’t!” he argued. He didn’t even  _ know _ that spell! There was no way that Atlas Flame was just a spirit he had brought back! He could  _ touch _ him! 

“You’re a powerful dragon,” he said. “Igneel would be proud of you, and I am honored to have you as my prince.” He bowed his head. “Perhaps you will be the one to defeat Acnologia and E.N.D.” 

“E.N.D.?” Gray asked. 

“The demon the demon slayer was here for,” Atlas Flame explained. “He mistook my lingering flames for hellfire.” He barked out a laugh. “Not that I could blame him!” 

“I-I’m not a prince, though!” Natsu argued. “Not really!” And he hadn’t stood a chance against Acnologia, and he had no idea what E.N.D. was. He didn’t  _ deserve _ to be the dragons’ prince. He knew how loyal they were, what that title meant, and he didn’t  _ deserve it!  _

“You are,” Atlas Flame insisted. His form began to flicker. “Make your father proud.” 

“No!” Natsu tried to grab onto him, but his hand passed right through him. He still had questions, and he didn’t want another dragon to leave him! 

“Farewell, prince.” 

Atlas Flame disappeared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's two more chapters before the official start of Tartaros!


	43. Voices in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray, Erza, and Natsu finish their job at Sun Village, and Minerva is approached by Kyoka

Minerva fled. 

Honestly, Erza couldn’t say that she cared. 

Because she knew enough about Minerva to know that fleeing like that was an even worse result than a defeat. Despite all that woman’s obsession with winning, she still wasn’t ready to put her life on the line for a fight yet. 

She’d inflicted a few wounds on her before she ran, but nothing even close to life threatening. Again, Erza knew she  _ really _ shouldn’t kill her, but Minerva had it coming if she refused to change her ways. 

And she knew that wasn’t the last time they were going to see her. 

Erza sighed and leaned against one of the frozen houses, letting her head thump against the ice. She let out a deep breath through her nose, and closed her eyes. 

She needed to find Natsu and Gray, make sure they were okay, because there was no way that Minerva was the only threat here. 

She pushed off the wall, and held one hand against her stomach, still aching from Minerva’s brutal assault. 

That woman was a nightmare. 

* * *

“Prince?” Gray asked. 

Natsu shifted, and glanced up at him. 

Gray frowned. Being a prince seemed like something Natsu would never shut the hell up about, so what was his problem? He sat down next to him, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “Hey, Happy?” he asked. “Can you keep an eye on Flare for a minute?”

Happy jumped out of Natsu’s lap. “Aye, sir.” He trotted over to Flare, who was watching the steadily melting ice with fascination. 

“Alright, explain,” Gray said. “You’ve never said anything about being a prince before. The hell does that mean?” 

“Igneel was a dragon king,” Natsu said quietly without looking at him. “Never really thought about it as a kid. And then… when I was older, I still didn’t think it mattered, because he was gone, and I was human, and dragons aren’t gonna follow the stupid human kid that Igneel picked up one day.” He clutched at his scarf. “But I’m  _ not _ human, and I guess— I guess that dragons don’t care anyways, because I  _ am _ Igneel’s son, and—” He finally turned to look at Gray. “Come on, that’s not me. I’m not a  _ prince. _ I can’t be something like that, it doesn’t make sense!” 

Gray supposed he could understand where Natsu was coming from. Of course he wasn’t going to think about something like that as a kid, and being a prince was definitely not something that seemed right for Natsu. “Well…” he began. “It doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to. I don’t think a bunch of dragons are gonna force you to start leading them or some shit.” 

Natsu shook his head. “It’s not like that! Dragons don’t work that way! It’s not like…” He sighed. “You can’t think about it like human kingdoms. Igneel didn’t  _ rule _ the dragons, not like that. They were loyal to him because he was  _ strong _ and  _ powerful _ and— and dragons just  _ know _ these kinds of things, so if they really think that I’m a prince, then—” 

“Then they think you’re that strong,” Gray realized. 

Natsu nodded. “I’m sure some of it  _ does _ have to do with loyalty to Igneel, but… You know this is why they followed Rogue, right? When they attacked the capital? They thought he was the most powerful, so when Atlas Flame decided to follow me instead, it really just—” He sighed, then forced himself to smile. “It doesn’t matter. Not like we run into a lot of dragons anyways, there’s just Wendy and Gajeel, and they’re my siblings, so it shouldn’t matter.” 

Gray got the feeling that Natsu was  _ seriously _ downplaying this, but it wasn’t like he was an expert on dragon hierarchies and power dynamics, so who was he to argue? “Whatever you say, man.” 

Natsu nudged him. "You need to get that blood off. It reeks." 

Gray glanced down at his chest. It wasn't the first time he'd been covered in blood, and he knew it wouldn't be the last, but he hated the feeling of it. It was sticky, and warm, and it always got stuck in the grooves of his necklace. "Don't know how the hell I'm gonna do something like that out here." 

Natsu frowned, before leaning down to grab a handful of half-melted snow. 

"What are you—" 

He shoved it into Gray's face. 

"Natsu!" he snarled as it dripped down his face.

"What? It's just water, ain't it?" he asked. "Got some of it off." 

"I'm not rolling around in the fucking snow," he said. 

Natsu shrugged. "Whatever." 

* * *

Erza found them not long after, and she was looking a little worse for wear. Natsu tried not to worry when she told them that Minerva had been here. Why had she left Sabertooth? Did she know that Sting and Rogue were looking for her? Did she care? 

“So you got shrunk, too?” Gray asked. 

Erza nodded. “It was more frustrating than anything, my damn magic regressed.” She shrugged. “But it turned out okay in the end.” 

Natsu shifted. He never noticed how reliant he was on his senses, how far he really was from human, until he was trapped in a human body and couldn’t even  _ function. _ Erza and Gray had still managed to fight, Erza admitted she hadn’t even  _ noticed _ she wasn’t a Faerie anymore, while Natsu had  _ completely broken down. _

“What are we supposed to do about her?” Erza asked with a nod towards Flare, who was watching them with that odd, unblinking gaze. 

Natsu and Gray glanced at each other, before shrugging. Natsu had no idea why she was here in the first place. Sure, she said she had followed them, but she hadn’t given a reason  _ why. _

“Hey, Raven chick!” Gray shouted. “The hell are you gonna do now?” 

Hesitantly, Flare approached them. “Not a raven anymore. Didn’t wanna be, guild disbanded.” 

Gray frowned. “Okay… Is that why you’re following us around?” 

Flare cocked her head. “I guess so. I didn’t know what else to do. But now I know. I’m gonna stay here!” 

“Stay here?” Natsu demanded. In this frozen hellhole? Sure, it was on its way to thawing, Atlas Flame and Gray’s power having broken whatever hold the ice had held on this place, but it… didn’t really seem like a good place for someone like Flare. Not to mention that this was technically a giant village. 

Flare nodded excitedly. “Yes! Yes, I never thought I would be back here!” She clapped her hands together. “They raised me here!” 

_ “What!?” _ they demanded. 

Flare had been raised out here? By  _ giants?  _

Then again, Natsu supposed he had no right to say anything, he’d been raised by dragons out in the woods. 

She nodded again. “Oh yes, I’ll stay here with them while they thaw, and I’m gonna stay here. So thank you.” She bowed slightly. “Thank you for bringing me back home.” 

“Eh…” Gray rubbed the back of his head. “Not like we meant to, lady. No point in thanking us.” 

Happy patted Flare’s leg with his paw. “I’m sorry I was mean to you before. Thank you for trying to help Natsu earlier.” 

Flare leaned down to scratch Happy behind the ear, and cooed when he began to purr. “You’re welcome!” 

“Whatever,” Gray said. “Let’s just get the hell out of here.” 

* * *

“Demons, hm?” Warrod asked. “Interesting… I admit I’m not completely surprised, though I wasn’t certain about them being behind what happened.” 

Gray shook his head. “There were demons  _ there, _ but a demon  _ slayer _ is the one who froze Sun Village.” 

Warrod’s expression darkened. “That’s… even more concerning.” 

Erza crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. “How so?” 

Warrod nodded towards Natsu. “You’re a slayer, surely you must know what they’re meant for.” 

“To be weapons,” Natsu muttered. 

Erza grimaced. She should have known that the dragon’s spirit beneath the arena had gotten to Natsu. Of course he hadn’t forgotten about what he’d been told. 

Warrod nodded. “Slayers are the self destruct sequence for creatures that get too powerful, or at least, that’s the working theory among those who study magic. So the fact that there are suddenly demon slayers does not bode well. For a demon slayer to be necessary, the magic creating them must know that demons need to be stopped now.” 

She glanced over to Gray, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He clearly had no intention of telling Warrod that he was one step away from being a demon slayer himself, not that Erza could blame him. 

“But Natsu’s not like that!” Happy argued as he jumped up onto the table. “He doesn’t want to get rid of dragons!” 

Warrod chuckled. “Even if magic changes a slayer into what they are, it is still up to the slayer to decide what to do with that power. They don’t automatically hate whatever thing they are meant to kill. Your friend is proof of that.” 

Natsu rubbed Happy’s head. “Yeah, I’d never kill a dragon!” 

“But what about demons?” Erza asked. “Aside from—” She turned to Gray. “Aside from Deliora, there hasn’t been a single demon attack in Fiore in years. Why would slayers be necessary? There’s no demons!” Besides, hadn’t Juvia’s family killed most of them generations ago? 

“I’m afraid that’s not true,” Warrod said. “Demons are sly creatures. They keep to the shadows, and work quietly for the most part. Ones such as Deliora are a rarity. And recently, there have been whispers amongst the council. They’re worried about a group called  _ Tartaros.”  _

“Ultear mentioned them once,” Gray muttered. 

“Ultear?” Warrod asked, obviously interested in someone who might have that kind of information. 

“Ultear Milkovich,” Gray said. 

“Ah, the Grimoire Heart member.” 

_ “Crime Sorciere,” _ Gray corrected, a sharp bite to his words. 

“Of course,” Warrod said. “The Crime Sorciere member.” 

“What is Tartaros?” Erza asked. 

Warrod shook his head. “Honestly, there’s not much information on them. They are a dark guild, and we know they claim to be demons. However, there’s never been enough information on them to know if that’s true, or if they fancy themselves the creatures. Either way, they are an extremely dangerous group.” 

“What about E.N.D.?” Gray asked. “We heard the name in Sun Village, and Ultear mentioned that, too.” 

Warrod sighed. “I know even less about that. All I know is that he’s a demon, and rumored to be the creator of Tartaros.” 

Erza had to bite back a groan of frustration. Did Warrod know  _ anything _ useful? “What about Faeries?” she asked.  _ Surely _ a founder of Fairy Tail, and someone who was so close to Mavis, had to know  _ something _ about Faeries. 

“Ah, now  _ that _ I do have a little more information on,” he said. 

Erza gasped, and sat up straight, leaning forward, ready to cling onto every word he said. 

“Mavis was always fascinated by fairies, of all kinds,” he said. “The kind that the guild is named after, and the being that you are, Miss Scarlet. However, her obsession only grew after the trade wars. She became a lot more secretive, and I still don’t know what exactly sparked that change in her.” He sighed. “Sometimes I wish I had pushed her a little harder… I shouldn’t have let her pull away from us.” Then he shook his head. “But that’s not important. Mavis believed that magic was alive, in some form, and that it blessed individuals it deemed worthy with power.” 

“That’s what Levy was talking about, I think,” Erza said. “Magic… really  _ blessed _ me?” 

Warrod shrugged. “Once again, this is all hypothetical. I’m just telling you what  _ Mavis _ believed. She never offered me any proof, however, she was very compelling. She also believed that Titania was a Faerie, and she was  _ very _ interested in legends about her. She had books, books she claimed were written by Titania, and she never let another person read them. They disappeared when she did, and even after her body was returned to Precht, those books were never found. If you want answers—” 

“I need to find those books!” Erza exclaimed. 

“Precisely.” 

“Do you have any idea where they might be?” Erza demanded as she jumped out of her chair. 

“Not a clue, I’m afraid,” Warrod said. “I never searched for them myself, but a close friend of mine did. He never did find them before he died.” 

Erza frowned. Maybe she could talk to Levy and Freed. If anyone could track down some old books, it would be them. And she could always try and get answers out of Mavis herself again. “Thank you,” she said. 

“We’re gonna have to help her hunt those books down, aren’t we?” Natsu asked. 

Gray nodded. “Yep.” 

* * *

Minerva limped through the trees. She should go back to Succubus Eye, at least long enough to heal and save up a little more money, but she  _ refused _ to go back in this condition. It was  _ humiliating.  _

Goddamn Erza, and her fucking fairies. 

She hissed through gritted teeth. What was she going to have to do to get stronger than her? Why was nothing she did ever  _ enough!?  _

“Minerva Orland, correct?” 

Minerva whipped around, shooting a blast of magic at whoever the voice belonged to, cursing herself for not noticing she was being followed sooner. 

The woman laughed and easily dodged the magic.  _ “Relax,” _ she purred. “I’m the client that hired Succubus Eye.” 

Minerva tensed up. She didn’t like this woman’s presence, and why would the person who hired the guild be out here hunting her down, if not to inflict some kind of punishment for  _ failing?  _

“Calm down,” she said as she stepped closer. “My name is Kyoka, and I have a proposition,  _ Minerva.” _

Minerva forced herself to stand up straight. She wasn’t going to  _ cower. _ “And what would that be?” 

Kyoka stalked around her, her steps light and predatory. “I hired Succubus Eye and sent Doriate with you because I was suspicious of what happened to Sun Village. I’m  _ still _ suspicious, because that resulted in no real answers.” She placed a hand on Minerva’s shoulder, and leaned against her from behind. 

Minerva forced herself not to flinch away. 

“Succubus Eye was full of pathetic wizards,” Kyoka said. “But I think you knew that, right?” 

She nodded, struggling to find her voice. 

“Not a single one survived my Seilah’s experiments.” 

Minerva swallowed thickly. 

“Because they were  _ weak,” _ Kyoka said. “But you’re not, are you, Minerva? If it meant gaining power, you would do anything, wouldn’t you?” 

Minerva set her jaw, and nodded. 

Kyoka grinned, the moonlight illuminating her sharp teeth, and she softly ran her hand along Minerva’s jaw. “We can make you stronger,” she whispered in her ear. “So much stronger. What do you say?” 

“What do I have to do?” she asked. 


	44. Stirring Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu and Lisanna have a talk, Erza leads an investigation into Tartaros, and Wendy goes to visit Sting and Rogue

Cana had been in the library with Levy and Freed for about ten minutes now, and she was already sick of this. They had her laid across a table, and were meticulously examining the runes that covered her whole arm and most of her shoulder. 

“I told you not to overuse this, Cana,” Freed scolded. 

She scoffed. “Look, it’s not like I was using it just because I could. There was kinda a lot of shit going on.” 

Levy hummed, and ran her finger along the swirl of runes curling up Cana’s shoulder. “Freed was right about this being an adaptive spell, but I honestly couldn’t tell you what it’s trying to do to your body.” The corner of her lip twitched into a frown. “There’s a strange magical energy coming from it. I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s extremely faint, but I feel like it’s likely to get stronger the more the runes spread.” 

Cana grimaced. As much as she had pretended that the runes were no big deal, she was beginning to get a little concerned. Maybe Lucy and Loke were right to be as worried as they were. “Well what am I supposed to do about it?” 

Levy and Freed exchanged a glance. 

“It’s not like we can take the knowledge of the spell and ability to use it away from you,” Freed began. “You just shouldn’t use it. Not until we have more information.” 

“That’s what you told me last time!” she shouted, pushing herself off the table to get in his face. 

To his credit, Freed didn’t react at all. He just gave her a cool glare. “I have no new information to give you, and you didn’t listen when I told you that before, so it’s only gotten worse.” 

Cana growled, but stepped back. She supposed that was fair. Between the Grand Magic Games and the Eclipse Gate, it wasn’t like Freed had exactly had a lot of time to actually look into the runes. “Fine. Let me know if you find anything, or need me to do anything.” 

“Sure thing, Cana,” Levy said, already intently studying the drawings they’d made of the markings. “We’ll be sure to let you know.” 

* * *

“Natsu, can we— I have something I need to tell you,” Lisanna said. 

Natsu stopped, not expecting Lisanna to be waiting from them just inside the guildhall doors. “Oh, sure, Lis,” Natsu said. “Whatcha need?” 

Her eyes flicked to Gray and Erza. “Um… actually, could we go somewhere else? Just the two of us?” 

“Yeah, sure!” It’d been a while since just he and Lisanna had spent some time together without anyone else around. It would be nice. Erza and Gray could handle reporting back to the Master without him, they figured it was probably important to tell him about Tartaros. “You wanna go out to the river?” That was one of her favorite places when she was a kid, and he’d missed sitting out there with her. 

“If you want…” she said as she rubbed at her upper arm, avoiding looking him in the eyes. 

Natsu’s easy grin faded. Was something wrong? Lisanna didn’t normally act like this. “Are you okay?” He leaned forward, so close their noses almost touched. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine,” she squeaked. “It’s nothing, really… just something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while.” 

He pulled back. “Uh, okay. Let’s go.” He turned to Erza. “Hey, let Wendy know where I’m at, okay?” 

Erza raised an eyebrow, and smirked. “Sure, Natsu.” She patted his shoulder. “Have fun.” Then she gave Lisanna a hard look. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.” 

Red rushed across Lisanna’s cheeks. 

“Wait, what?” he asked, but Erza was already walking away. 

Gray snorted, clearly trying to hold back laughter. “Oh…” He glanced at Natsu, then followed after Erza, failing miserably at trying to hide his amusement. 

Lisanna’s blush somehow managed to get worse. 

Natsu had no idea what they thought was so funny, but he was definitely missing something. He almost called for them to come back, but Lisanna nudged him. “Come on. Let’s go.” 

* * *

Lisanna sat a couple inches to his left, her feet dangling over the edge, with her toes dipped in the water. 

And something was  _ definitely _ wrong. 

She wouldn’t touch him. 

They always sat shoulder to shoulder, leaning on each other, and she wouldn’t. Every time he tried to get closer, she pulled away. 

Had he done something wrong? 

She’d been quiet the whole walk to the river, too, and they’d been sitting here for about ten minutes now, and she had yet to say anything. At first, he’d talked about his mission with Gray and Erza, just to fill the silence, but it was clear she wasn’t really paying attention. 

He was getting worried. He didn’t know what he would do if he’d made Lisanna upset. How was he supposed to fix something like that? 

“I realized this back on Tenrou,” she said quietly, snapping him out of his thoughts. “But I didn’t want to bring it up.” 

Natsu shot her a glance, and his wings curled tighter around him. Tenrou, huh? A lot had happened on Tenrou, but for him… He’d snapped two times. Three, if you counted going feral when Acnologia arrived. 

Had he scared her? The thought almost made him  _ sick. _

But he couldn’t really blame her… 

“But I want to tell you now,” she said. “It’s important to me that you know, even if… even if you don’t feel the same, I want you to know. And I—And I promise that I’ll never bring it up again, if you don’t want me to.” 

Natsu stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell any of that meant. 

She took a deep breath, finally looking away from the river and to him. “I love you.” 

He blinked, confused. He knew she loved him. He loved her, too. Why would she feel the need to say it like that? “I know that?” 

“No, Natsu.” She took his hand, gently, and leaned closer. “I  _ love _ you,” she repeated. 

It clicked. 

It finally fucking  _ clicked. _

Lisanna loved him. Loved him like Erza loved Mirajane and Jellal. Loved him like Gajeel loved Levy. Loved him like  _ he _ loved  _ her.  _

“Lis, I—” he began. 

She shook her head. “You don’t have to say anything.” She sighed, and glanced away. “I’m not expecting you to feel the same way. I know you probably _ don’t _ feel the same way. You’re just— You… I don’t know, Natsu. I just wanted you to know.” 

“That’s not true,” he said. “Lis, it’s  _ not. _ But— But—” He loved her, but he hadn’t really ever planned to tell her. He was fine just being friends with her, even if he wanted something else. The thing was… he didn’t think she would really want that kind of relationship with him. She didn’t really know that it would be  _ different. _

Her eyes widened, before she nodded, an almost resigned look on her face. “I understand. It’s a lot. We’re busy, you have a lot to deal with, and I know you’ve never really been interested in this kind of thing. Like I said, we don’t ever have to talk about it again.” She began to stand up. “I just wanted you to know.” 

He grabbed her wrist before she could walk away. “That’s not it. I love you, too, Lis. It’s just…” He let go of her.  _ “Look _ at me. You don’t want this. I don’t think you understand what it would be like. You deserve someone else. Someone like  _ you.” _

“Oh, Natsu.” She fell to her knees, and took his face in her hands. “You think I care about this?” She rubbed her thumbs across his scales. “I don’t. I don’t at all. I’ve known you were different since we were kids. I may not completely understand it, but that doesn’t make me love you any less.” 

“It’s not just how I look!” he protested. “There’s all kinds of things I’ve never told you about being a dragon, and… and…” He bit at his lip, and pulled out of her hold. “Other things, too. Like— Like sex. I don’t think I would ever… I don’t want that.” 

Lisanna was silent for a minute, before she nodded slowly. “Okay. I’m okay with that. Honestly, it’s not surprising. It makes a lot of sense.”

Natsu stared at her, eyes wide. “W-What?” 

She laughed softly, but quickly smothered the sound. “Well… you know, it’s not like you’ve ever been interested in it. You never had a thing for anyone when you were younger, you never join in during Cana’s party games that lead to making out, you get all jumpy when someone you don’t know starts flirting with you.” She shrugged. “It makes sense.” 

“Huh…” Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn’t realized it was so obvious, but when she said it like that…. 

Lisanna shifted a little closer. “Look, Natsu, if you really don’t want this, I understand. Like I said, we  _ never _ have to talk about it again if you don’t want to, but if you don’t want to do this because you’re convinced I won’t love you because of things like that, I want you to know you’re  _ wrong.” _ She held her hand to her chest. “I know you can sense if someone is lying, something about their heartbeat and smells or something like that, so pay attention to that when I tell you this. I love you like you are, dragon and all. I  _ promise. _ So… what do you say?” 

Natsu opened his mouth to say something, before snapping it shut as he realized he didn’t know  _ what _ to say. 

He’d never thought something like this would happen. It had never even crossed his mind. Even after he had admitted to himself that he liked Lisanna, and Gajeel, Wendy, Erza, and Gray would tease him for it, he thought nothing would ever come of it. Lisanna wouldn’t want a relationship like that, and it’s not like  _ he _ was ever going to bring any of this up to her. 

But she had confessed to  _ him, _ and she really didn’t care about the dragon stuff, or the fact that he was ace and wouldn’t ever want a  _ sexual _ relationship. “I…” Slowly, he reached out to touch her, pull her close. “I love you, too.” 

Lisanna smiled, and it was so  _ beautiful. _

“If— If you’re sure,” Natsu said. “That this is okay… then yes. I wanna try it. I mean, people already think we’re dating anyways. We’d probably be pretty good at it.” 

Lisanna snorted, clearly amused by the comment. “Hell yeah, we would be. We’ll put Mira and Erza to shame.” 

“Yeah!” Natsu exclaimed. He could be a good boyfriend. He could be a  _ great _ boyfriend! All he had to do was… was… 

Okay, maybe he had no idea, but he was pretty sure he’d figure it out. 

Lisanna leaned over, and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. He was pretty sure he started blushing. She laughed at him, and pressed closer. “Do you need to go talk to the Master about your quest? Sounds like it was pretty rough.” 

He shook his head. “It can wait.” 

He felt like this moment alone could make up for all the time they’d missed, that they still hadn’t been able to make up, even since she’d come back. Out here by their river, leaned against each other, content. 

They could stay like this for a little while longer. 

* * *

“Tartaros?” Makarov frowned. “Warrod really thinks they’re planning to make a move soon?” 

Erza crossed her arms. “That’s what he made it sound like.” 

“He wouldn’t outright say it, though,” Gray said. 

Makarov hummed. He probably knew even less about Tartaros than Warrod did, but he knew enough that the thought of them becoming active set him on edge. 

“What should we do, Master?” Erza asked. “We can’t just leave them alone! If they’re demons, then they’re— they’re—” 

“Erza, do not go after Tartaros,” Makarov said. 

She shook her head. “Obviously I would not do that alone. I would have Gray, and Natsu, and the rest of the guild, and Jellal and Meredy!” 

_ “No,” _ he said firmly. He did not want his children involved in an unnecessary war, and attacking that guild would certainly result in something like that. They had been through  _ enough _ in the past year. Losing their humanity, Edolas, Tenrou, the battle in the capital. Makarov was going to keep them as far away from Tartaros as humanly possible. 

“But Master!” Erza protested, and even Gray looked like he was about to argue. 

He shook his head. “No, Erza. This is not our problem, and I cannot condone you looking any further into the matter. So leave it alone.” 

She huffed, and turned to march out of the office, Gray on her heels. 

Makarov wasn’t dumb enough to think he had convinced her to let it go, but he hoped she would at least put a little more thought into whatever she might be planning to do. 

* * *

“I’m sending word to Jellal and Meredy,” Erza said. “If anyone would know about Tartaros, it would be them.” 

Juvia picked at the hem of her sleeve. She wasn’t sure what she had expected when Erza had corralled her, Gajeel, Wendy, Gray, Mirajane, Levy, Elfman, and Cana in the back corner of the guildhall, but discussing a possible  _ demon _ guild had been the  _ last _ thing she expected, let alone going behind the Master’s back to investigate it. 

She thought demons were nearly eradicated… She thought her family had ended them. How could they have been so wrong? 

“You really think your boy toy knows about that kinda shit?” Cana asked. 

“Ultear was the one who first mentioned Tartaros to me,” Gray said. “And she told me she told Jellal and Meredy  _ everything, _ so yeah, I think they’ll know.” 

“Alright, alright.” Cana raised her hands in surrender. 

“I don’t like sneaking around like this,” Elfman said. “If the Master said we shouldn’t, then—” 

Erza slammed her hand down on the table, and Juvia jumped. “That’s not an option!” she shouted. “Right, Gray?” 

Gray bared his teeth. “Those damn demons can’t just do whatever the hell they want.” 

Juvia gave him a concerned look. She couldn’t blame him for being angry and upset, that frozen village had to have dug up so many awful memories for him, but she couldn’t help but think that this would be incredibly self destructive. However… she couldn’t say that she wasn’t interested in this herself. 

Were these demons the ones responsible for her father’s murder? She wanted to know, and she would do just about anything to find out. “What if Gajeel and I went to talk to some old contacts?” she suggested. “From when we were with Phantom Lord? Maybe they’ll know something.” 

Gajeel frowned. “We ain’t talked to any of them in almost eight years.” 

Juvia… had honestly forgotten about that for a moment. It  _ had _ been that long, hadn’t it? Not just a little under a year, as that was what it felt like to her. “It’s still worth a shot, don’t you think?” 

He grimaced. “Guess if you really wanna try it.” 

“I’ll come with you!” Levy said. 

Gajeel gave her a look. “You ain’t gonna like it. And they’ll think you’re some kinda snitch or spy the second they look at you.” 

“I could probably help her out with that,” Mirajane said. “She’s about the same size as I was when I went through my punk phase. I still have some of my old outfits. And if she lets you guys do most of the talking, it will be fine. Plus, she’s very attuned to detail. She might notice things the two of you won’t.” 

Gajeel opened his mouth to argue, but Juvia interrupted. “That sounds like a good plan.” She couldn’t deny that she and Gajeel might miss all kinds of subtle cues and details. 

“Fine,” Gajeel huffed. 

Mirajane winked at Levy, and red spread across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. 

Wendy raised her hand. “Miss, Erza. Can I— I would like to go to Sabertooth. To warn Sting and Rogue, and tell them… about Minerva.” 

“You’re not goin’ by yourself!” Gajeel argued. 

“I can handle it!” Wendy exclaimed. “I promise I can! It’s just going to Sabertooth, and my… I’m getting everything under control, and the rest of you have more important things to do anyways…” 

“Of course, Wendy,” Erza said. “That’s a great idea.” 

Gajeel glared at her. 

“What about me?” Cana asked. “You really expecting to just tell me all that shit and then do nothing?” 

Mirajane shook her head. “You’re going to help me and Elfman try and get information out of the council. We’re… going to try and meet up with Mest.” 

“That weirdo?” she demanded. 

Mirajane nodded. 

“Fine,” Cana relented. 

Juvia knew that their little  _ investigation _ wasn’t going to remain hidden for long. People were bound to notice something was up, and of course, Natsu and Lisanna still needed to be looped in, and it was likely Cana would tell Lucy and Loke as well. It wouldn’t be long before the whole guild was involved, despite the Master’s wishes. 

Juvia could only hope they weren’t about to make a major mistake by getting involved in this. 

* * *

Charle flew Wendy to Sabertooth’s guildhall that evening. Erza and Gray had moved their little  _ meeting _ to Cana’s apartment, to discuss more details and any other strings they could pull on, but Wendy knew she didn’t really need to be there. 

If they even trusted her enough to give her a big role by herself, they could just tell her later. Besides, if she got to Sting and Rogue fast enough, maybe they could get out to where Minerva had been quick enough to pick up a scent trail. 

“Wendy!” Sting exclaimed as soon as she arrived. “What brings you by? Are Natsu and Gajeel with you?” 

Wendy clutched Charle tight against her chest. “No, it’s just me. I have news. About Minerva.” 

Sting’s easy grin faded. “Come on. Let’s go get Rogue.” 

* * *

Sting had been thrilled when Wendy had showed up. He had been wanting to see his siblings again, but wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to just _ show up _ at their guildhall, so it was great that Wendy had done that for him. 

With the death of the Master, and Minerva’s disappearance, he’d been rather abruptly put in charge, despite his protests, so a visit from Wendy was a great way to put him in a better mood. 

Of course she had to come with bad news. 

Well… maybe not necessarily  _ bad _ news. Any news on Minerva was good, he only wished it wasn’t about Minerva  _ attacking _ Fairy Tail. 

“Did she look okay?” Rogue demanded as he grabbed Wendy’s shoulders. 

She shook her head. “I-I don’t know, Rogue. I wasn’t there. I’m only telling you what Miss Erza told me.” 

“Erza…” Rogue muttered. “Minerva went after Erza.” His eyes widened in worry. “This isn’t good.” 

Wendy offered him a small smile, and patted his hand reassuringly. “Hey, you’ll find her. And I know you can talk some sense into her.” 

Sting tried not to look at the scars on Wendy’s neck. Scars that  _ Minerva _ put there. And Wendy still hoped that they found her, that they could  _ help _ her. 

She really was too sweet for her own good. 

Rogue glanced to Sting, before turning back to Wendy. “Wendy, you need to be careful. Things… things are gonna happen soon, and I want you to be safe, okay?” 

Wendy frowned. “What are you talking about?” 

“Yes, what  _ are _ you talking about?” Charle asked as she padded forward to glare at Rogue. 

“You should tell her,” Sting said. “If anyone manages to snap them out of battle mode long enough to stop all that shit, it’ll be her and Natsu.” 

Rogue sighed, and nodded. “When Tartaros comes, be very careful.” 

Wendy gasped. “You know about Tartaros?” 

Dread flooded through Sting’s chest. The battle with Tartaros was already close enough that Wendy knew about it? He had been hoping they had a couple years, at least. 

“Not much,” Rogue said. “Just bits and pieces, from my… from my future self. Keep an eye on Gray and Erza, okay? Promise me you will.” 

Wendy was obviously confused. “I don’t understand.” 

Rogue began to pace. “I don’t know what else to tell you, I don’t have any  _ real _ information, just… just be wary when it comes to them, okay?” 

“Rogue, you have to tell her why,” Sting said. “It’s not gonna make sense if you don’t.” 

He bit his lip, but nodded. “I blamed Gray and Erza for Minerva and Frosh’s deaths.” 

Wendy gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. “But Mister Gray and Miss Erza would never do something like that!” 

Rogue frowned. “I wish it weren’t true, and I don’t know what else to tell you, but that is the truth.” 

“And your future self told you this?” Charle asked. “And you believe him?” 

“Not exactly…” he muttered. “Our memories kind of… blended together. But I forgot most of his when he… vanished? Died? I don’t know.” 

The Exceed’s tail flicked, but she seemed to believe his answer. 

“But what am I supposed to do about that?” Wendy asked. “I still don’t think they would— Miss Erza and Mister Gray have never been anything but kind to me! And they wouldn’t hurt someone that you care about! It doesn’t make sense!” 

Sting laid his hand on her shoulder, doing his best to calm her down. Maybe they  _ shouldn’t _ have told her. This was an awful thing for someone so young to know. “Tell Natsu. If anyone could stop them, it will be him.” 

Wendy glanced up at him, and nodded, determination shining in her eyes. “I will. And we’ll stop them. That  _ won’t _ happen.” A growl rumbled in her chest. “We won’t let it.” 

Rogue stared at her, obviously concerned about something, but Sting didn’t know what. “I know you won’t, Wendy. And don’t worry about Minerva. We’ll handle her.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natsu and Lisanna are finally together! Just in time for everything to just go absolutely horrible


	45. The First Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gajeel, Levy, and Juvia meet with an old contact, while Cana, Mirajane, and Elfman go to meet with Mest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am so sorry about the huge wait. I kind of ended up moving twice within the same week? Like, I moved in with some friends, while they were in the process of moving apartments, so it was hectic there for a while

Mirajane couldn’t help but smirk when Natsu showed up at Cana’s with his arm slung around Lisanna’s shoulders. Of course, there wasn’t necessarily anything unusual about that, he had always been very touchy with her sister, but Lisanna’s giddy smile was more than enough to tell Mirajane that she’d finally done it.

Lisanna had told her she was going to tell Natsu the truth when he got back, and Mirajane was more than thrilled that she had followed through. 

(She was also glad, because Erza had been insistent they find Natsu and Lisanna to include them in their schemes, but Mirajane had insisted they leave them be for a while, and Erza would probably be less twitchy about it now). 

“It’s about damn time you showed up,” Gajeel said. “We’re kinda—” 

Natsu leaned over to kiss Lisanna’s temple, before going to sit next to Gray, like this was a completely normal thing for him. “Yeah, what  _ is _ going on?” he asked. “Kinana said you all disappeared a couple hours ago to come here. Didn’t think we had any plans to drink tonight.” 

“My apartment is not your bar!” Cana huffed as she crossed her arms. 

Natsu grinned. “Only reason you ever have anyone over.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him. 

Mirajane was hardly paying attention to their little argument, though. She was too busy trying to stifle her laughter, because Gajeel was staring at Natsu with wide eyes, and Juvia and Levy were glancing between him and Lisanna, mouths agape. 

And Elfman—

Mirajane managed to grab her brother before he could march over and threaten Natsu, try to punch him, god knew what, really. “Do  _ not,” _ she hissed. “You know she’s liked him for a long time, and you know he’s a good guy.” 

Before Elfman could say anything, or try and argue, Erza jumped out of her seat on the couch, to run over and slap Natsu’s shoulder hard enough he jerked forward. “Congratulations! You and Lisanna are a fine match!” 

A blush spread across Lisanna’s cheeks as she edged towards Mirajane and Elfman, trying to escape all the attention that was placed on her. 

Natsu rubbed at his shoulder, but his grin only widened. “Thanks, Erz!” 

Gray snorted and rolled his eyes. “About damn time.” 

Levy quickly recovered from her shock, and bounded over to give Lisanna a hug. “I’m so happy for you two!” 

“Mmhm, mmhm.” Juvia nodded in agreement. “You seem like you’ll be very nice together.” 

Lisanna laughed, her discomfort with the situation quickly fading. “Thanks, Levy, Juvia.” 

Cana just slouched deeper into her seat. “Thought you two were dating already?” But her wry smile gave away her little lie. 

Mirajane elbowed Elfman, leaning closer to whisper in his ear, “Come on, they’re cute, stop brooding. You always knew she was going to start dating eventually.” 

“But did it have to be  _ Natsu?” _ he muttered. 

Mirajane sighed and shook her head. She knew that Elfman  _ was _ happy for them, and she couldn’t really blame him for being so protective of Lisanna (especially considering what had happened in the past), and it was fine so long as he didn’t actually say anything to her or Natsu, but she did hope he came around sooner rather than later. 

* * *

Levy tugged down her skirt, for what felt like the millionth time. She had no idea how Mirajane had managed to wear this kind of stuff everyday, let alone go on quests and fight Erza like she had in it. The clothes were so  _ tight, _ and even barely moving made it feel like the miniskirt was riding up and exposing her ass to the whole world, because it wasn’t like the fishnets she wore beneath it were actually covering anything either. 

Maybe she  _ shouldn’t _ have come with Juvia and Gajeel. She was obviously uncomfortable, and she was positive that it showed. The people they were meeting with were going to realize she wasn’t meant to be here in a  _ second. _

“Calm down,” Juvia soothed, noticing her discomfort, before tucking a stray strand of hair into the skull shaped beret in Levy’s hair. “You look fine, and even  _ if _ something happens, Gajeel would protect you—” She cleared her throat.  _ “Us,” _ she amended. 

Gajeel glanced over his shoulder at them, but didn’t say anything. 

“Well?” Levy asked, marching forward to match his pace, careful of the boots that made her feet several pounds heavier than her sandals did. “Do I look okay? Natural? I don’t want to mess this up.” 

“Why’d you let Mirajane put that shit all over your face?” he asked, completely ignoring her question. 

“Huh?” Levy touched her cheek. “You mean… the makeup?” She had to admit, the thick, dark eyeliner and almost black lipstick that Mirajane put on her wasn’t exactly her  _ style, _ but she hadn’t thought it looked  _ bad. _ “Do you not like it?” Not that she cared, why would she care? Gajeel didn’t  _ have _ to think she was pretty, even when she was dressed like a dark guild reject with authority issues. 

“No, looks fine,” he said with a shrug. “Just doesn’t seem like your thing.” 

Juvia glanced between them, an odd expression on her face, before saying, “You know, Gajeel used to wear eyeliner pretty often.” She held her finger to her chin. “Not sure why he stopped. It looked nice.” 

Gajeel huffed. “Got better things to do than worry about what I look like.” 

Levy couldn’t help but giggle. “Is that why your hair is such a mess? You never brush it?” She reached up, and ran her hands through his hair. Though her fingers snagged on  _ numerous _ tangles, she was surprised at how soft it was. She’d never really played with his hair before, and she couldn’t help but think it would be fun to braid and style. 

“Yeah, got better things to do,” he said again, but surprisingly, he didn’t tell her to stop as she softly worked to undo the tangles. 

* * *

“The hell are you doin’ here, Redfox? Ain’t seen you in almost eight years.” 

Levy tried not to press closer to Juvia and Gajeel, determined to prove that she could do this kind of thing. She wasn’t  _ nervous. _ She had no reason to be nervous in this dark, shifty bar, filled with patrons that eyed them like they were a meal. 

Fighting back a shudder, she couldn’t help but wonder how Gajeel and Juvia had lived like this for years on end, surrounded by people like this. 

Gajeel offered the woman behind the bar a wolfish grin as he slammed his hand down on the counter. “Been busy,” he said. 

The woman raised an eyebrow, and her scowl deepened.  _ “Busy,” _ she scoffed. “Busy takin’ down some’a my most loyal customers, Ya know how hard I had to work to rebuild this as an information hub after ya destroyed Grimoire Heart?” She bared her teeth, and turned her attention to Juvia. “You  _ and _ yer little water bitch.” 

Juvia frowned and crossed her arms, but didn’t argue with the woman. 

“She ain’t my bitch,” Gajeel said. “And you fuckin’ know that, May.” 

“Don’t go by May anymore,” she said. “And ya’d know that if ya hadn’t rolled over and sold yerself to the fuckin’ fairies.” 

Levy shifted, and began to pick at the spikes studding the belt she wore. This was going downhill pretty fast. 

The woman leaned against the counter behind the bar. “Come on, the hell are you wantin,’ Gajeel? I ain’t got time to play games.” 

“Information on Tartaros,” Juvia answered instead. “We know that you sell information to all kinds of dark guilds and criminals, surely you know  _ something.”  _

Not-May nodded. “Y’er right, I sure do sell information to dark guilds and criminals, and last I checked,  _ neither _ of ya were either one’a those things anymore.” She sneered at Levy. “And I don’t even know who that is, like hell I’m talkin’ in front of her.” 

Levy swallowed thickly. She  _ really _ shouldn’t have come. “I—I can go—” she began. 

Gajeel slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. “Lev’s my girl,” he said. “And I don’t trust her alone with any of you bastards, so yeah, you’ll talk to her, too.” A thinly veiled snarl accompanied the words, a very obvious threat, and the woman began to fidget. 

_ My girl. _ Levy tried to contain any shock or being flustered, the last thing they needed was to get caught in a lie. Couldn’t Gajeel have  _ warned _ her somehow before pulling a stunt like that? 

Though she couldn’t deny that she liked being pressed against him like that, being called  _ his. _ It was nothing new, really. He was always touchy and liked her close, but this was different. He was treating her like she was actually his  _ girlfriend. _

She bit at her lip and shook her head. Now  _ was not _ the time to be thinking about things like that, especially considering it was all an  _ act. _

“Look,” the woman said. “It ain’t like I got a lot of information on Tartaros anyways. They ain’t exactly got a lot of contacts for me to trick into talkin.’ There ain’t a lot to say on them.” 

Gajeel tightened his hold on Levy’s shoulders. “But you know something? Just give it up, and we’ll leave. You won’t ever have to hear from us again. It’ll be the last time you see a ‘fairy’ in your shithole of a bar.” 

The woman’s eyes narrowed as she considered the deal, before she finally spit,  _ “Fine. _ But if ya ever show up here again, I’ll kill ya.” 

“I’d like to see you try,” Juvia muttered, quiet enough that she wouldn’t hear. 

“All’s I really know is that they’ve come out of hiding recently, and some old council bastard let it slip to me that they’re gonna go after them first,” she said. 

“The council?” Levy asked. 

The woman nodded. 

She frowned. Why would Tartaros go after the  _ council, _ of all things? 

“Know people have been disappearin,’” the woman continued. “Some bodies have been found, not many, with horns stickin’ outta their heads and weird markings, that kinda thing. People, ‘cept now they look like demons. They’re sayin’ it looks like some weird magic tore ‘em apart from the inside out.” 

Levy and Gajeel exchanged a glance, and Juvia’s frown deepened. Levy knew they all came to the same conclusion about  _ that. _ She’d seen too many of her friends have their humanity taken and their bodies moulded into something else to not understand the implications of  _ that. _

Tartaros was transforming people into demons. 

But  _ why? _ Why now? What were they gaining? And what did that have to do with them suddenly going after the council? 

“That’s all I got fer ya,” the woman said. “Now get the hell out of my bar.” 

“Right.” Gajeel finally let go of Levy. “As always, it was a pleasure, May.” 

“My name’s not  _ fucking _ May!” 

* * *

Mest tapped his fingers on the table, his nails clacking against the marble. “I shouldn’t be here.” 

Lahar rubbed his shoulder. “I brought you, it’s fine.” 

“But they’re talking about  _ Fairy Tail,” _ Mest argued. He shouldn’t be at a council meeting,  _ period, _ let alone one where they were talking about his former guild. Talking about his former guild, and speculating that they were in an alliance with the criminal group, Crime Sorciere. Which, Mest  _ knew _ they were, and he was fairly certain Lahar did, too. So why wasn’t he saying anything? 

“It doesn’t matter,” Lahar said. “You used to be a council member, and everyone knows how close we are, it’s fine that you’re here, and if anyone says anything, they can deal with me. You did nothing but help during the incident with the Eclipse Gate.” 

Mest grimaced. If by  _ helped _ he meant he released a deadly member of the Oracion Seis, then yeah, sure, he  _ helped. _

He wondered if Lahar had told the rest of the council that that had been Mest’s idea, well, Mest being the messenger of  _ Jellal’s _ idea. Probably not, considering Mest wasn’t sitting in a jail cell accused of treason. 

Mest opened his mouth to argue, when an explosion shook the building. 

* * *

Cana did not want to deal with the magic council. Sure, in theory, she knew it was probably a good idea to talk to them about this, and see what information they could get out of that loyalty-hopping freak Mest, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She would  _ much _ rather be pulling on another thread with Loke and Lucy, not having to argue with those fucking bastards with Mirajane and Elfman. 

“I hope Mest is here,” Mirajane said as they approached the magic council’s headquarters. “Or at least that council member that is really close with him. What did Bisca say his name was? Lahar?” 

“The hell are you askin’ me for?” Cana asked. “You think I pay attention to that bullshit?” 

“I don’t trust Mest,” Elfman said. “A real man wouldn’t switch sides so—” 

A brilliant explosion decimated the entire building. Mirajane yelped, and jerked backwards, smashing Cana in between her and Elfman. “Watch it!” Cana spit. 

“What the hell was that?” Elfman demanded. 

The flames quickly died away, leaving a blackened husk of the building. 

Mirajane’s hands shot up to cover her mouth. “There’s no way anyone in there survived that.” 

Numbness spread through Cana’s chest as she realized what had just happened. Someone had just murdered the  _ entire council. _ She may not have liked the bastards, but even she didn’t think they deserved to be blown to pieces like that. 

Something flashed in the corner of her eye, and Cana whirled around to see Mest, supporting another man leaned against him. 

“Mest!” Mirajane sprinted over, Elfman and Cana on her heels. “Mest! What just happened?” 

Mest jerked towards them, his eyes wide and crazed. Burns and cuts littered his skin, but he didn’t appear to be too horribly injured. But the other man—

Cana winced at the blood steadily spreading from a tear in his abdomen, not to mention the numerous burns, that were much more severe than Mest’s. 

“Lay him down!” Mirajane commanded. “Elfman, help me stop the bleeding.” 

With jerky movements, Mest laid the other council member down on the ground. Cana pulled Mest backwards, trying to keep him out of the way while Mirajane and Elfman did what they could to contain the damage. 

Honestly, Cana didn’t think they would be able to save him, considering not a single one of them knew any healing magic, but she wasn’t going to be the asshole to point that out. “Mest,” she asked, as she curled her fingers tightly into his shoulder. “What the hell just happened?” 

He shook his head, still refusing to tear his eyes away from the unconscious man on the ground. “I—I don’t know. I— Take care of him. Please,” he requested. 

“Huh?” 

Mest vanished, leaving Cana to stumble forward. 

“Are you fucking  _ kidding _ me?” she demanded. 

* * *

Cobra had to say, he was appreciating these little visits from that teleporting council member. They were the most entertainment he had since he’d been tossed into this hellhole of a prison. “Mest,” he said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” He cracked his eye open. “Again?” 

He was not at all surprised by the wizard’s sorry state, he could easily use his magic to hear what he was thinking, gather all he needed to know about the explosion, the attack, the maniacal laughter that rang out as that  _ demon _ had fun blowing council members up left and right. 

“Tartaros,” Mest growled through grit teeth. “Was it fucking Tartaros?” 

Cobra couldn’t help but grin. While he wasn’t a fan of Tartaros, the group was even more unhinged than the Oracion Seis had been, he could admit it was entertaining to watch the high and mighty council get their asses handed to them by  _ one _ member. “If you’re here, you already know the answer,” he said. 

Mest slammed his fist against the bars of the cell. “Dammit!” 

Though Cobra was a little surprised that Tartaros would announce themselves with such a large  _ bang _ (pun very much intended), considering how secretive and stealthy they had been in the past, but if they were finally going to start taking over Fiore, then there wasn’t much that anyone could do about it. As magically inclined as this country was, they didn’t stand a chance in hell against monsters like that. “Better tell your loved ones goodbye,” Cobra said, before baring his teeth. “Oh wait. Looks like you already did.” 

Flashes of Lahar’s burned, bleeding body raced through Mest’s mind. “Shut up,” Mest snarled. “Shut  _ up, _ you goddamn freak of nature!” 

Cobra turned his palms up. “Hey, you’re the one who came to me.” Maybe if Tartaros took out the royal family, too, they could finally get out of this fucking dungeon. He could see his team again. He could see  _ Midnight _ again. It’d been  _ years. _

“What do we do?” Mest asked. “I-I don’t know much about Tartaros, and a lot of the people who did just—” 

“Got a one way ticket to hell?” Cobra interrupted. “Yeah, I don’t know much either. But I know enough to tell you to run if you don’t want to meet the same fate.” 

Mest’s face paled, before he vanished once again. 

* * *

“Erza’s posse’s been up to something lately, don’t you think?” Evergreen asked as she leaned against the counter. “Every single one of them has gone off somewhere the past few days, and it’s not for jobs.” 

Freed frowned. “It’s not just her team. Even Levy, Elfman, and a handful of others appear to be involved.” 

“The hell do you think it is?” she asked. 

“Who cares?” Bixlow asked with a shrug. “They ain’t taking the good jobs right now, which means we get all of them.” 

Evergreen hummed, and crossed her arms, her frown deepening. Normally, she might agree with Bixlow. That whole group could get up to dumb things just because quite often, but something was  _ different _ this time around. Freed was right, more people were involved than normal, and Elfman had clammed up when Evergreen mentioned it to him, which she  _ did not _ appreciate. 

What were they doing? Why were they being so secretive? 

“Perhaps we should mention it to Laxus,” Freed suggested. “Occasionally, Erza will tell him things she wouldn’t tell us—” 

A strange feeling settled in the air, and Evergreen jumped to tackle Freed and Bixlow to the ground. “Get down!” 

Magic tore through the air, and the building crumbled around them. The air grew thicker, darker, and choked Evergreen with every breath she took. 

She coughed, and blood splattered against the ground. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slams hands down on the table* It's demon time


	46. Demons' Guild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Thunder Legion struggles against the bane particles, and Fairy Tail discusses retaliation against Tartaros

Pain gripped Freed’s chest, an intense pressure in his lungs only growing wore with every passing second, each breath he took. Blood bubbled up his throat, accompanied by a wet, hacking cough. He rolled over, and Evergreen lost her weak grip on him, her coughing growing so intense her body shook. 

Freed pushed himself up, taking note of the dark, fog-like material floating lazily through the air. He could taste it on his tongue, and it didn’t take him long to realize it must be some kind of poison. He needed to figure out what exactly it was and where it was coming from before it killed them. 

He drew his sword, intending to use it to fight whoever had caused this, but it became more of a crutch to keep himself upright. Dread and worry flooded through him, he’d  _ never _ seen an air-born poison this fast acting. He turned to help Evergreen up, but she was already unconscious, her body twitching and spasming, blood dripping from the corners of her mouth, her nose, even her  _ eyes. _

“Bixlow!” Freed wheezed. 

Bixlow staggered to his feet, debris shifting around his body. 

“Get her out of here,” he requested. He  _ was not _ going to lose Evergreen to whatever this was. Like  _ hell _ she was dying today. 

He took a step forward, and the world spun. He grit his teeth, and forced himself to stop leaning on his sword. He needed to  _ move. _ They couldn’t survive just sitting here! Already the poison in the air was growing thicker,  _ and _ they needed to make sure that Yajima was alright. 

“You need to move, too, Freed,” Bixlow said as he struggled to lift Evergreen. 

“I have to… have to…” The world grew even hazier. “Fight….” Hot, sticky blood began to drip from his nose. “I can’t—” His legs gave out, and he collapsed, his sword clattering out of his hand. 

“Dammit, Freed!” Bixlow snapped. “I can’t carry you, too!” 

“It’s fine,” he gasped.  “I’m _fine.”_ He tried to push himself back up, but his arms were too shaky. His entire body began to tremble. 

A figure in a dark cloak appeared just outside the ruins of the building. Freed could  _ sense _ the dark and malevolent intent rolling off of the person, and he needed to  _ get up. _ He didn’t know why they were being targeted, but—

The person didn’t even spare him a glance as he sauntered past him, like Freed wasn’t even  _ there. _ He paused to examine Bixlow for a second, but still didn’t appear to be all that interested in him. 

“Was this you?” Bixlow demanded. “Fucked up—” He was cut off by a coughing fit. He dropped Evergreen and clutched at his chest, falling to his knees, as he hacked up more and more blood with each cough. 

“Bix…” The words died in Freed’s throat, and his vision began to go dark at the edges. 

_ Is this really how we’re going to die?  _

Bolts of lightning raged through the air, carefully arcing around Freed’s body. “Laxus!” he gasped.

But his relief was quickly smothered out by fear. Laxus needed to  _ get out of here, _ before this poison affected him too! 

The man in the cloak turned on his heel, examining Laxus

“Damn.” Laxus glanced around, and though his voice was calm, Freed could see the anger in his eyes. “I leave for ten minutes and it all goes to shit.” 

“Leave,” the man in the cloak said. “I am not here for you.” 

“I don’t care.” Laxus threw his hand out, and more lightning raced towards the man. 

He easily bounded out of the way. “I’ll give you one more warning, you do not want to anger Tartaros.” 

“Laxus, be careful!” Freed finally managed to force himself to his feet. “Something’s wrong with the air.” As if to prove his point, Freed threw up another mouthful of blood. 

“Yeah, I can tell, it doesn’t smell or taste right,” he muttered. “You and Bixlow get Evergreen out of here.” 

Freed wanted to protest, he didn’t like the idea of leaving Laxus here to fight alone, or of leaving Yajima, but Laxus was right. They needed to get Evergreen out of this environment or she wasn’t going to stand a chance. 

He stumbled over to Bixlow, and they managed to support Evergreen between them. Her head lolled forward, leaving blood to drip onto the ground. Her glasses slid down her nose, falling off, but Freed didn’t have the energy to bend down and grab them, so she was just going to have to survive without them for a while. 

He tried to tune out the sounds of Laxus’s fight as they staggered out of the debris. The black fog was  _ everywhere, _ they needed to get  _ away _ from it. Evergreen was still inhaling it. They were  _ all _ still inhaling it. 

Freed risked a glance back towards Laxus, just in time to see the man— no, the  _ demon _ burst into a thick cloud of that black smoke, causing the poison in the air to grow even  _ thicker. _

“Oh, no…” They really weren’t going to make it out of here, were they? 

But the poison began to recede, not  _ spread.  _

“That idiot!” Bixlow gasped. “The hell does he think he’s doing?” 

Freed realized what he meant a second later. “Laxus,  _ no!” _ He was  _ eating _ the poison! Did he have a death wish!? 

Freed tried to turn back and stop him, but the sudden jerky movement ruined what little balance he had, and he dragged Bixlow and Evergreen down in a tangle of limbs. The world went dark as his head cracked against the pavement. 

* * *

Wendy smelt the death and decay before Charle even touched down in Magnolia. 

She’d decided to stay a few days with Sting and Rogue. Erza wouldn’t need her for any plans, and Wendy still wasn’t quite sure what to think about the fact that Erza and Gray might be the ones responsible for sending Rogue down a path of despair and darkness, so she’d needed time to think. She eventually decided to tell Natsu what she had learned from their brothers, but no one else. But first she needed to go to the guildhall, and see what anyone else may have learned about Tartaros. 

But as soon as her nose burned with that strange scent, Wendy had demanded Charle put her down here, so she could see what it was. Something wasn’t  _ right _ about that smell. Blood and gore, so strong, and the absence of magic’s scent, it set Wendy on edge. Her already volatile instincts were only intensifying. 

“Are you sure this is safe?” Charle asked as soon as they landed. “Perhaps we should go to the guild first, and bring someone back to help.” 

Wendy shook her head. “No, this can’t wait.” This wasn’t  _ right. _

It didn’t take her long to track the scent to its source, for her to find Laxus, Bixlow, Evergreen, and Freed limp and unmoving, with blood staining their faces. She gasped, and sprinted towards them, trying to figure out what had caused this. 

“Dear god,” Charle muttered.

Freed stirred, cracking an eye open. “Wendy…?” 

She laid one hand on his forehead, and the other on his chest. “Yes, I’m here, Mister Freed. What happened?” 

“A demon,” he coughed. “A demon from Tartaros.” 

Wendy’s fingers curled into Freed’s tattered clothes, and a snarl tore from her chest. 

* * *

“I told you not to get involved in this!” Makarov shouted. 

Gray expected Erza to apologize. She may be hardheaded, but he didn’t know of a single time that Erza had gone against the Master’s direct wishes. She respected him, and there was no way she would talk back to him in front of the entire guild. 

However, Erza was about to prove him  _ very _ wrong. 

“And that was an idiotic course of action!” she snapped back. 

Stunned silence settled over the guildhall. Everyone was on edge anyways, Wendy running into the guildhall and screaming about Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow needing immediate medical attention had created an intense atmosphere, and after Freed had managed to relay that they almost died because of a Tartaros attack, the tension had only risen. It didn’t help that it hadn’t taken Makarov long at all to realize what they had been up to lately. 

Makarov shook his head, forcing himself out of his shock. “Four of our members have been gravely injured, and may not even survive, because of Tartaros. Because  _ you _ bit off more than you could chew.” 

Erza crossed her arms and raised her chin. “We don’t know that this happened because of us.” 

Gray was inclined to agree with her. They technically hadn’t even  _ done _ anything to Tartaros, all they had done was ask other parties if they knew anything about them. That hardly warranted a retaliation of this scale. No, something else had to be going on. “She’s right, Gramps,” Gray said. “They’ve been more active recently, and I doubt it’s got anything to do with us.” 

“Besides,” Lisanna added quietly. “Even if it  _ was _ because we decided to look into it… that only proves they’re up to something, and it’s not like anyone else is going to stop it.” 

“Yeah!” Natsu added. “It ain’t like the council is gonna do shit about them!” 

Makarov took a deep breath, and though he didn’t look quite as angry, he still appeared  _ very _ irritated. “And what has your little  _ investigation _ done? Have you learned anything? Anything at all?” 

Erza opened her mouth, likely to snap back some smartass reply, but she was interrupted. Mirajane threw the guildhall doors open, Elfman and Cana on her heels. “Get him to the infirmary,” she said, as she gestured to the man that Elfman had slung over his shoulder. “Someone go get Porlyusica or Wendy!” she shouted. 

“They’re already here, in the infirmary,” Kinana said. “Dealing with—” She shook her head. “Never mind, I’ll help.” She rushed over to Elfman, and ushered him towards the infirmary. 

“Mira?” Erza asked. “What the hell is going on?” 

She grimaced. “Tartaros is going after council members.” 

Everyone in the guildhall began shouting, demanding answers, wanting to know what happened, why, who that man had been. 

“Everybody shut the hell up!” Cana shouted. “If you want to know what fucking happened, shut your goddamn mouths!” She marched over to the bar, grabbing a wet towel, and began washing the dried blood off her hands. 

“Mirajane, explain,” Makarov said. 

Mirajane gently pushed Erza away as she tried to fuss over her and make sure she was okay before answering. “We went to go speak with Mest, to see if it was possible if he had any information on Tartaros. We got to their headquarters just in time to see it blown up. Mest and Lahar were the only survivors, although… we’re not sure if Lahar is going to make it. We brought him here to Porlyusica and Wendy because the other healers we brought him to said there wasn’t much they could do for him in that state.” 

“Why are they going after council members?” Gray asked. Surely it wasn’t because Tartaros thought they were a threat. They had been taken down so  _ easily. _

Cana shook her head. “No damn idea. Mest fucking vanished before giving us a single answer.” She slammed her hand down on the bar. “Damn coward.” 

Lucy took her girlfriend’s hand, quietly asking her if she was okay, and Cana assured her she was. 

“That could be why Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow were attacked…” Makarov mused. 

Erza narrowed her eyes. “How so?” 

“The man they were working for today, Yajima, was an ex-council member,” he clarified. “It’s possible they weren’t the real targets at all.” 

Gray rubbed at the markings around his wrist. Tartaros had already wiped out nearly the entire council, and taken down Laxus and his team as  _ collateral damage. _ Just how powerful  _ were _ they? Maybe the Master  _ was _ right. Mayber Erza really did have them all charging into a fight they couldn’t handle. 

“But why  _ ex- _ council members?” Lisanna asked. “That doesn’t make any sense. What could they be gaining from that?” 

“I’m afraid I don’t have the slightest idea,” Makarov said. “However, there  _ does _ have to be a reason, and it can’t be anything good.” 

“Then we protect them,” Erza said. “We go protect the remaining council members.” 

“But not even Laxus could handle one of them!” Bisca argued. 

“He was caught off guard,” Erza said. “We know what’s coming, and we can’t let this continue. Without the council, there is no one left to fight Tartaros.” 

_ Except us, _ went unsaid, but everyone knew what she was implying. 

Everyone turned their attention to the Master. They would all gladly follow Erza into war, Gray  _ knew _ they would, but not without Makarov’s permission. Investigating Tartaros behind his back was one thing, but openly fighting them, declaring a  _ war _ against them? 

“Start finding addresses and locations of council members,” Makarov said. 

* * *

Gajeel had no idea what he had just walked into, but the guildhall was in chaos. Erza was barking orders, pairing everyone off into teams, Loke had a group of wizards surrounding him as he went over secret addresses and locations, Porlyuisca leaned out of the doorway to the infirmary, screaming at everyone to quiet down. 

“What the fuck is going on?” he demanded. 

Levy and Juvia glanced around with wide eyes, just as confused as he was. 

“Gajeel!” Natsu rushed towards him, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him back towards the door. “Come on! We’re going to fight demons.” 

_ “What?” _ Gajeel, Levy, and Juvia demanded. 

Lucy grabbed Levy’s hand and tugged her towards Loke. “Tartaros is targeting council members, so we’re going to protect them. We need you to figure out addresses with Loke since you worked with them most often, and he evidently slept around with a lot of members and their friends and family,” she said with an eye roll. 

“Uh… uh, okay?” Levy said, tailing after Lucy without much of a fight. 

“Come  _ on.” _ Natsu continued trying to push Gajeel towards the door. “Erza’s sending us to keep an eye on some guy named Michelia.” 

“Alright, alright,” Gajeel huffed. “Just let me tell Scarlet and the Master what we found out. It’s kinda important.” 

“I can do that,” Juvia said. “Go, Gajeel.” 

“I’m coming, too,” Wendy said as she walked towards them. 

“You are  _ not,” _ Gajeel said. He didn’t want Wendy fighting demons  _ at all, _ let alone fighting demons when she still wasn’t completely stable. 

“Besides, doesn’t Porlyusica need your help?” Natsu asked. 

She shook her head and held her fists up. “No! She said she was fine, and I’m  _ going  _ to fight. Either I’m going with you, or someone else.” She bared her teeth. “You decide.” 

Gajeel huffed. As much as he didn’t like it, he’d prefer Wendy with him rather than someone else. “Fine, brat. Let’s go.” 


	47. Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gajeel, Natsu, and Wendy struggle against Jackal, and Fairy Tail sends wizards after other council members

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm uploading this chapter in the middle of hiking somehow, I hope you all enjoy!

Happy and Pantherlily were sent back to Magnolia after they reached the house of the council member they were supposed to be protecting. Wendy tried to send Charle as well, they needed all the help they could get getting people to various council members quickly, but Natsu and Gajeel insisted Charle stay, just in case she needed to get out of there fast. 

It bothered Wendy. She  _ hated _ that her brothers were acting like this. Sure, they’d always been protective, and didn’t necessarily  _ like _ her engaging in overly dangerous fights, but they’d never been this bad. It was like they thought she couldn’t handle herself at  _ all, _ just because she had struggled for a few days. 

True, she still wasn’t  _ completely _ used to having her instincts dialed up to eleven at all times, but she could still  _ fight, _ fighting was actually the only time she felt completely normal like this. Why couldn’t they understand that? 

She tuned out Gajeel and Natsu arguing with Michelia, who was insisting he didn’t need protection of any kind, and he  _ did not _ appreciate Fairy Tail members in his house. Wendy sighed, and scratched Charle between the ears. She wondered if everyone else was having issues like this as well. 

“Fine, you stubborn old bastard.” Gajeel turned and headed towards the door. “Die if you want.” 

“Gajeel,” she scolded. 

He growled, but didn’t try to leave again. 

“Why is Tartaros even coming after you?” Wendy asked. Surely he had to have some kind of idea, right? 

Michelia let out an irritated huff. “How should I know? I’m still not entirely convinced they  _ are _ targeting me.” 

Charle turned her nose up. “Well that’s idiotic.” 

“Yeah, your buddies’ corpses not enough proof?” Gajeel asked. 

“Gajeel!” Wendy gasped. 

“What?” he asked. “They’re dead, ain’t they?” 

Wendy shook her head. She knew he didn’t like the council, but they were  _ dead _ now. They could be at least a little respectful. 

Natsu opened his mouth to say something, before snapping it closed and sniffing at the air. Wendy stiffened, a shiver racing down her spine. 

Natsu shoved Michelia towards Gajeel and Wendy, and tackled all three of them to the floor, covering them with his wings. Wendy jerked and curled into Gajeel’s side as a horrifically loud  _ bang _ sounded, followed by the overwhelming stench of smoke. There was a flash of heat, but it only lasted a few seconds. 

Natsu folded his wings up, and Wendy lifted her head, her nose crinkling as a strange, dark scent nearly made her sneeze. 

“Fireproof, eh?” 

Wendy held Charle tighter against her chest, and dared to look up at the man grinning down at them, lounging like he didn’t have a care in the world on top of the house’s barely standing frame. 

_ A demon, _ she realized, taking in his strange appearance and dark presence. She’d never actually seen one before, other than the ones Hades had summoned on Tenrou, or if she wanted to count Gray. She  _ hated _ the way his presence made her skin crawl. 

While she was distracted, just  _ staring _ at the demon, Natsu and Gajeel were already retaliating. Natsu shoved Michelia into Wendy, and shouted, “Take him and go!” 

She dropped Charle and grabbed the man’s hand, who didn’t even try to protest, and dragged him after her, just before Gajeel’s breath attack destroyed what little was left of his house. “Let’s go!” 

She would get Michelia somewhere safe, and then come help her brothers. She briefly considered just sending Charle with Michelia, but she needed to calm down first. Her hands were shaking, and the demon’s scent was drowning out everything else. She needed to get used to that before she even  _ attempted _ fighting, or she was just going to get in the way. 

“They really are trying to kill us all,” Michelia gasped. 

Wendy jerked on his hand, trying to get him to run faster as another explosion rang out, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the demon or from Natsu. “Yes, sorry about that Mister Michelia!” 

“You would think he’d be smart enough to know why by this point,” Charle huffed. 

Michelia shot her a wary glance, and his heart skipped a beat. 

Wendy bared her teeth, realizing that he’d just figured it out. 

* * *

Natsu punched the demon hard enough he went flying backwards, but he landed on his feet, and only laughed at Natsu, a lilting crazy sound, and he wiped the blood dripping down his chin with the back of his hand. “Whoops. Shouldn’t have touched me.” 

“Huh?” Natsu glanced down at his hand, and yelped as it began to glow and a strange tingling sensation ran over his skin. 

“The hell did you do?” Gajeel demanded. 

“Never seen a curse before?” The demon cackled. “He’s not gonna have a hand for much longer.” 

_ What the hell— _ There was a bang, a bright flash, and the heat of a fire around his hand, but no pain. “Oh,” he realized. The demon had turned him into a bomb. Natsu lifted his hand to his mouth and licked at the flames, and they actually didn’t taste half-bad. 

The demon’s ears flattened against his skull, and his eyes narrowed. “How…” 

Natsu grinned. “I’m a little fireproof. Gajeel, don’t touch him.” 

“Dammit,” Gajeel muttered. 

* * *

At first, Jackal had been excited that there were some actual decent wizards here. Taking out the council had been  _ boring. _ No one even fought back. He wanted to have some  _ fun.  _

Then he realized they were slayers, and yeah, sure, slayers were fun to fight, but Seilah would have his hide if she realized he blew up the slayers. She wanted them, she wanted them  _ so bad. _ Her obsession with her research on slayers was only growing worse, and while Jackal didn’t understand it, he wasn’t going to turn her favorite test subjects into ashes and charred meat, so he was going to have to hold back a little. 

But then his curse hadn’t worked on the fire dragon slayer. Sure, he  _ claimed _ he was fireproof, but he wasn’t the first “fireproof” wizard that Jackal had fought. His curse should have done at least  _ some _ damage on him, so why the hell hadn’t it? Fire curses were different from fire magic! It didn’t make any damn sense! 

This guy might be a problem… Not only did Jackal have to avoid the ranged attacks from the other slayer, but now he had to worry about actual hits from this one. 

Jackal hissed as his claws swiped down his face, tearing open his forehead and the bridge of his nose. He grabbed the slayer’s wrist, activating his curse again, but the explosion left him just as unphased as the last one. 

_ Fuck this. _ He just needed to kill that council member, and this fight was more irritating than fun. He bounded backwards, and slammed his palms into the ground. Let them try and follow him when the ground was literally blowing up beneath them. 

Smoke and fire enveloped both slayers as his curse activated, and he heard them both swearing and shouting as he ran, chasing the scent of the little girl. 

* * *

Wendy shoved Michelia against a wall, bracing her arms on either side of him, and she bared her teeth. “Please, Mister Michelia, tell me why Tartaros is trying to kill you.” She didn’t like even vaguely threatening him, but she needed to know. 

“I— I can’t tell you!” he protested. 

“You have to!” she shouted. “We have to know so we can fight them!” 

“She’s right, you know,” Charle said from her place between Wendy’s feet. “The more information we have, the better our chance.” 

He cowered. “You can’t beat those monsters! If you go to war with them, you’re just going to destroy everything!” 

Wendy nearly flinched, that was too similar to what Sting and Rogue had said, but she couldn’t let him see her doubt.  _ “Tell me.”  _

He squeaked, and tried to press closer to the wall, but finally admitted, “I-I-I think they’re after Face.” 

“Face?” 

He nodded. “A defense, of sorts. If other countries tried to invade, we could use it to destroy magic.” 

Wendy’s jaw dropped, but before she could demand more answers, ask  _ why _ something like that would  _ ever _ be created, she felt a rough hand grab her hair, yanking her away from Michelia, and tossing her off to the side. 

“Wendy!” Charle dashed over. “Are you okay?” 

“No!” Wendy jumped back to her, trying to reach the demon, but he’d already slammed his hand into Michelia’s chest, and a bright explosion flashed through the street. 

Wendy squeaked and fell backwards, unable to tear her eyes away from the charred husk that used to be Michelia. 

“What’s wrong, little slayer?” the demon asked as he stalked towards her. “You don’t have much of a bite, do you?” 

Wendy swallowed thickly. Why were his eyes so manic? Why was his presence alone so dark and  _ smothering? _ She had to get up! She had to fight! 

Charle jumped in front of her, puffing her fur up. “Leave her alone!” 

The demon scoffed, and kicked her away. 

“Charle!” 

The demon leaned forward, and grabbed her face, digging his claws into her skin, flashing her a grin full of sharp teeth. “You’ll make a nice present for my Seilah.” 

She wanted to jerk out of his grasp, to hit him, bite at him,  _ anything, _ but her instincts told her  _ no. _ It was like she couldn’t even  _ move. _ It was too dangerous, if she wanted to live she had to roll over and accept defeat and—

Natsu slammed into the demon from above, dropping down on him from the sky and digging his claws into his back. “Don’t fucking touch my sister,” he snarled. 

Someone grabbed Wendy, and she nearly panicked until she realized it was just Gajeel throwing her out of the way. 

The demon tried to twist around and throw Natsu off, but her brother grabbed the demon’s ear and yanked his head back, exposing his throat. “Now, Gajeel!” 

Gajeel slashed his claws across his throat, so violently that his blood splattered against Wendy’s face. It almost burned on her skin, like acid. She didn’t even flinch. 

Natsu let go of the demon, letting him crumple to the ground, wheezing and gagging as his blood pooled on the ground. Weakly, he held his hand to his throat, but it did nothing to stop the blood flow. He glared at Natsu and Gajeel, hatred burning in his eyes, and then his body went still, Wendy heard his heart stop, but then his body vanished, leaving behind only the blood stains on the ground. 

“I don’t like that,” Gajeel muttered. “Vanishing body can’t mean anything good.” Then he sighed, and turned to Wendy. “You okay, brat?” 

She forced herself to nod. “Y-Yeah, and I— I found out why they’re going after the council.” 

Even if she had failed to protect Michelia, at least she had managed that. 

At least there was that. 

* * *

“Do you know anything about this?” Makarov asked. 

Mavis regarded him with a cool look, her expression as unreadable as ever. “And if I did?” 

He nodded, resigned to her cryptic answer. 

Mavis sighed. She did wish she could tell them more, but honestly, against Tartaros, what would it matter? It wasn’t like she knew about any weaknesses that Zeref’s creations had. Not to mention, they still needed to prove themselves, because their battle in Crocus against the dragons wasn’t enough to convince her that they were ready. 

But Tartaros… Tartaros would reveal if they were or not. 

This battle was the starting point. 

* * *

Meredy stared at Erza’s letter. The handwriting was nearly illegible, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to figure out what it said if not for Jellal. Given how good she was with a sword, one would think Erza would have steadier fingers. “This isn’t good…” she muttered. 

“No, it’s not,” Jellal agreed. 

“Not even  _ we _ went anywhere near Tartaros,” she said. “We didn’t, Grimoire Heart didn’t, they were just… too much.” 

“I  _ know,” _ he bit out. He put his head in his hands. “Erza, what are you  _ doing?” _

“Can’t you tell her to back off?” 

Jellal laughed bitterly. “You don’t know my girlfriend very well. Erza doesn’t take  _ no _ for an answer. Besides…” He sighed. “It’s not just her, it’s her entire damn guild.” 

Meredy supposed he had a point. She didn’t know any of the Fairy Tail wizards very well, but even that little bit of working with them in the capital had been enough to prove they rushed into things without thinking, especially if it was personal or someone had hurt someone they cared about. “Well, what do you want to do?” 

“I can’t leave her to fight alone,” he said. 

“Alright.” Meredy folded the letter up, and handed it back to him. “Let’s go then.” 

“You don’t have to.” He shook his head. “You have no reason to be loyal to Fairy Tail.” 

“Maybe not…” In her mind, what she had done in the capital for them had evened out anything she owed them from Tenrou, but she still felt a need to help the guild. She wouldn’t go so far as to call any of them her  _ friends _ yet, but they were the closest she had, other than Jellal, of course. “But I still want to help them. Besides, I’m loyal to you, and you’re loyal to Erza, so she has my allegiance by extension.” She clasped her hands together. “There’s also the small issue of Natsu…” 

Jellal grimaced. “Yeah, I’m not quite sure what to do about that.” 

“Obviously Tartaros doesn’t know what,  _ who, _ he is, otherwise they would have destroyed Fairy Tail years ago to get to him,” she said. “But if they find out…” 

“I know.” 

Meredy stood up and smoothed her dress out. “Well then, I suppose that’s another reason for us to be there. To prevent Tartaros from finding E.N.D.” 

Jellal shot her a look. 

“What?” she asked. 

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, because, I mean, we always discussed it, but never acted on it, and now, with Crime Sorciere just being the two of us…” He took a deep breath. “I think it’s time to officially recruit the Oracion Seis.” 

Meredy grinned. 

* * *

Lisanna laid her fingers on the ex-council member’s neck, checking for a pulse, though she could already tell she was dead. “We were too late.” She couldn’t discern a cause of death, the body was pristine, but those unseeing, glassy eyes were all it took to prove that this person was dead. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Elfman said. “Something about this place doesn’t feel right.” 

Lisanna couldn’t help but agree. Though it was just a little house in the countryside, something about it made her skin crawl. Like there had been something  _ awful _ here. 

“Leave?” a woman asked as she stalked through the open doorway. “But you just got here.” 

Lisanna shot to her feet, already shifting into her cat takeover form. Never mind her horns, this woman’s presence was more than enough to alert Lisanna that she was a demon. She flexed her claws, and felt the line of fur trailing down her spine puff up. “Elfman!” 

The demon laid her hand on his shoulder before he could react, and he instantly relaxed, every bit of tension leaving his muscles. 

“There we go,” the demon purred. 

Lisanna bounded forward, kicking the demon in the chest, leaving her to fly backwards. She nudged her brother, sincerely hoping she’d gotten the demon away from him fast enough that whatever she had been trying to do hadn’t worked. “Let’s go,” she said. She wasn’t confident enough in their abilities to handle a demon, they needed to get back to the guild. “We need to—” 

Elfman grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. Lisanna gasped as the breath was knocked out of her. “Elfma—” 

He squeezed her tighter, cutting off what little airflow she had left. She scrabbled against his hand, but even as her claws shredded through his skin and blood dripped onto the floor, he didn’t let go. 

“I’m sorry!” he sobbed, tears in his eyes. “I can’t— I can’t— Lisanna!” 

She wasn’t stupid enough to think he was doing this of his own accord. Her brother would  _ never _ purposely hurt her. That demon had done something to him, she had to have! When she touched him! 

Her struggles grew weaker, her lungs burned, her vision began to go dark at the corners. Her takeover form flickered away, and her body went completely limp, her fingers losing their grip on Elfman. 

“Lisanna!” he shouted. 

_ It’s not your fault. _ She hoped he could see in her eyes that she didn’t blame him, just like she hadn’t blamed him last time.  _ Please don’t blame yourself.  _

She tried to gasp for air one more time, but it was a fruitless effort, and everything went dark. 

* * *

After making sure she was okay, Natsu and Gajeel sent Wendy back to the guild with Charle and what little information she had learned. 

“I can’t believe they could just take magic away like that,” Natsu muttered. 

Gajeel grimaced. It certainly wasn’t a fun thing to learn, and it set him on edge that there was something out there that could even  _ do _ that. If that thing ever activated, never mind all the disappearing magic, what did that mean for him and his siblings, who were so blended with magic at this point that they probably couldn’t survive without it? Would they  _ die?  _

Natsu kneeled down next to the pool of the demon’s blood, taking a deep breath. 

“The hell are you doing?” Gajeel asked. 

“He had to have come from somewhere,” he answered. “We could track the scent back.” 

“Find their base?” 

Natsu nodded. 

Gajeel bared his teeth. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

“I cannot believe your slutiness is what’s saving our asses,” Lucy said as she rolled her eyes. “How many damn council members did you sleep with?” 

Loke shrugged. “Who’s to say? But I did  _ not _ sleep with the ex-chairman, that was his daughter, I think.” 

“God, you don’t even know.” She shook her head. 

Erza rested her chin in her palm. The ex-chairman of the council was probably the person with the most amount of information, and likely someone Tartaros would be sending their best after. “Mira,” she said. 

Mirajane nodded. “I know. Let’s go.” 


	48. Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jellal and Meredy break out Crime Sorciere, and Fairy Tail members get captured by Tartaros

“You want to save her life?” Seilah asked. “Give in to me.” She stepped closer, delicately running her fingers through Lisanna’s hair. The girl wasn’t going to last much longer, she was already unconscious, dangling limply, saliva dripping down her chin. “Just fully give into my magic, and I’ll let her go.” 

Elfman gave her a pained look, and she couldn’t help but chuckle. These fairies really were easy to manipulate. “I’ll do anything,” he said, tears in his eyes. “Please!” 

Seilah snapped her fingers, and Elfman dropped Lisanna, leaving her to crumple into a heap on the floor. Bruises were already forming around her neck, and even unconscious, she gasped and wheezed. 

“Thank you,” Elfman muttered, falling to his knees.  _ “Thank y—” _

Seilah held her fingers to her lips. “Ssshhh…” 

He snapped his mouth shut. 

“Good,” she said. “Now pick her up.” She pointed to Lisanna. “And after we get her somewhere more secure, I have something for you to do.” 

He nodded, a blank look coming over his eyes, before he picked Lisanna up. 

Seilah smirked, and stalked out the door of the pathetic little cabin, Elfman on her heels, with Lisanna slung over his shoulder. She couldn’t stop the giddy feeling spreading through her chest. Mard Geer had not allowed her to go after Fairy Tail, even after she learned that Gray Fullbuster had joined the guild,  _ and _ discovered their overabundance of dragon slayers. She’d practically begged him to let her have them, but he said it would gather them too much attention, especially after Deliora had gone rogue. 

But now… Now if Fairy Tail had decided to attack them first… they were fair game. 

Her smirk spread into a smile, manic and wide. She would have her experiments, and she would have them soon. 

There was nothing she wanted more. 

* * *

Slipping into the dungeons beneath the palace was one of the easiest things Jellal had ever done. But then again, with the council dead, security here was severely lacking. 

“Do you think they’ll really go for it?” Meredy asked in a hush voice as they slunk through the tunnels. 

“Can’t say for sure,” he said. “Though hopefully Cobra will be a little more open to it, thanks to everything that happened with the Eclipse.” He flipped the hood of his cloak back. “Besides, I imagine they’ll just want out of this dungeon, no matter the circumstances.” 

“And if they just run after we help them escape?” Meredy asked. 

He grimaced. He knew it was a possibility, and a rather large one at that. “Then we’ll deal with it after Tartaros is handled.” 

“That’s some optimistic thinking right there,” she said. 

Jellal sighed. He knew she was right, but it hurt to hear her so cynical. While it was unlikely they would get out of Tartaros alive, let alone  _ unscathed, _ Meredy had always been so hopeful, the thing that had kept him and Ultear going when their bitterness and pessimism got the better of them. 

But ever since Ultear had died… that bubbly optimism and hope had faded. 

Jellal would never blame her for that, how could he? But it left an ache in his chest knowing that Meredy was falling victim to these feelings. 

So he decided not to reply to her comment. 

“There.” She pointed to one of the cells. “That one.” 

Jellal nodded, and stopped in front of the bars, observing the man inside. He pretended to be sleeping, but Jellal knew better. “Cobra.” 

The dragon slayer opened one eye. “Jellal Fernandes. Never thought I would see your sorry face again.” 

He frowned. His memory of any interaction with the Oracion Seis was a little fuzzy, to say the least, but he did know that they were the ones responsible for… resurrecting him after the Tower of Heaven, more or less. “Do you know why I’m here?” 

He stood up, stretching his arms and cracking his neck. “Of course.” He grinned. “You want me to join your little group and spend the rest of my life taking down dark guilds. You want me to join you on your suicide mission against Tartaros.” 

“Yes.” There was no point in lying, or trying to make it sound like it was anything it wasn’t. Never mind the fact that Cobra would see through that in an instant, but Jellal didn’t want to trick anyone into joining Crime Sorciere. 

He hummed. “I won’t say that I’m not interested, I really do hate it in here.” He stepped forward, and leaned against the bars of his cell. “So I’ll see how this plays out.” 

Jellal tried not to let his shock show, but that had been surprisingly easy. “Perfect.” Wasting no time, he undid the locks on the cell. “Now we need to—” 

Meredy grabbed Cobra’s wrist the second he stepped out of the cell, and a familiar set of pink runes settled on his skin. 

“Meredy, what are you doing!?” he demanded. Why the hell was she using a linking spell on him? 

She gave Cobra a hard look. “I don’t trust you not to go running off the second you get the chance.” She held her own wrist up, covered in those same runes. “Now if I die, you die. So you better watch my back, and watch it well.” 

“Well, well, I have to admit, you’re pretty crafty. I didn’t even hear what you were planning,” he said, feigning disinterest, but Jellal could tell he was shaken. 

Jellal grabbed her shoulder, and hissed,  _ “Meredy. _ This isn’t how we do things anymore.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “I’m giving us a better chance. Now let’s get the rest of them.” 

He sighed, growing even more worried over her, but now was not the time or the place to get into an argument or force her to talk about what she was feeling. 

* * *

Gajeel would be surprised if he  _ ever _ got the acrid scent of demon out of his nose. They’d been tracking the demon for several hours now, and he had forced himself to become so attuned to it, that he could scarcely smell anything else anymore. 

“Thought all these bastards were dead,” Gajeel said. “That Ju’s family killed ‘em all.” 

Natsu shrugged. “Don’t know.” He held his hand to his chest. “I just… I don’t like demons…” He bit at his lip. “They always make me… I don’t know, I get these weird feelings around them.” 

Gajeel shot him a glance. It wasn’t like he didn’t know about Natsu’s many, _ many _ issues, but he could never really figure out how severe they were until he said something like that. He had no idea why his brother had the reactions he did to demons, why he blacked out when he fought sometimes, why he had been haunted by nightmares his whole life. 

He was starting to get the feeling that it might have something to do with his past, whatever he couldn’t remember from his childhood. 

Gajeel had always thought it was odd that Natsu couldn’t remember anything from his time before the dragons, especially considering the extremely strange and concerning way he had behaved when they’d first met, that awful blank look in his eyes, and the completely emotionless ways he reacted to things. But he’d never really thought about it, never had a reason to, but more and more lately, it had been bothering him. 

And it seemed to be bothering Natsu, too. 

“Well whatever,” Gajeel said. “We’ll deal with them, and that’ll be the end of it.” 

“Yeah.” Natsu stretched his wings, before folding them back up. Then he frowned. “Hey, I’ve been thinkin’ about this, and I know I ain’t exactly the smartest, but don’t you think it’s kinda weird that these demons know exactly where all these council members live?” 

Gajeel stopped in his tracks. “Shit!” How come no one else  _ thought _ about that!? “There’s a goddamn rat in the council.” 

“Fuck, you really think so?” Natsu asked. 

“Makes sense.” Gajeel forced himself to keep walking. “Don’t know how they would know stuff like that without someone spilling inside information.” He couldn’t say he was  _ that _ surprised. The council  _ was _ full of some sleazy bastards, after all. 

“Should we go back and warn everyone?” he asked. 

Gajeel turned his attention back to the scent he was tracking. “Do you want to?”

“No,” he admitted. “I want to find those damn demons.” 

He hummed. “Yeah, figured. Besides, not like it really matters. Council’s dead, and it wasn’t like we were workin’ with them anyways. Nothin’ to do about it now.” 

* * *

The tea had a strange aftertaste, but Mirajane didn’t mention anything, and she hoped Erza had the decency to do the same. They just weren’t used to tea, no one at the guild really drank it, everyone preferred booze. 

_ Huh… maybe Cana isn’t the only alcoholic. _

She shook her head, tuning back into the conversation. 

“I’m afraid I haven’t the slightest idea as to why Tartaros may be after me, as I’ve told you already,” the ex-chairman said. 

Erza shifted in her seat, and shot Mirajane a glance, a subtle look, indicating that she did not believe what she was hearing, and Mirajane was inclined to agree. He was hiding something. 

“Oh, well that can’t be helped,” Mirajane said, leaning back and taking another sip from her tea. “But that being said, we can’t just leave.” She waved her hand and chuckled. “Our Master would have our heads, you know!” 

Erza rolled her eyes, and Mirajane gave her a soft kick beneath the table. The best way to get information out of him would be through chatting and manipulation. Erza’s abrasive intimidation tactics weren’t what they needed at the moment. 

The ex-chairman sighed. “I assure you ladies that I don’t need the protection. This location is kept carefully hidden, and I am more than—” 

Mirajane jumped out of her chair, the magic in the air sending tingles down her spine. She shifted into a takeover form, letting her wings and tail unfurl, and she felt Erza jumping into action beside her. “Erz!” 

“Right!” Erza kicked down the front door, her sword already slashing through the first opponent, leaving blood and gore to splatter across her. 

Mirajane bounded past her, digging her splayed talons into another soldier’s chest, relishing in the tear of his skin and insides. She felt no remorse over harming these soldiers, carrying out Tartaros’s bidding, engaging in mindless slaughter. 

Erza’s swords arced through the air, her scattered petals technique cutting down many of their enemies. 

Mirajane waved her hand, a blast of her magic completely incapacitating another group of the soldiers. 

The last soldier fell, and Mirajane frowned. “That was too easy.” 

Erza stepped over to stand next to her, a grimace twisting her face as she gazed across the small field, covered in broken, bloody bodies. Demons, Mirajane could sense that much, but they were not very powerful at all. She didn’t even  _ consider _ using any of them for new takeover forms. 

“You’re right,” Erza said. “Something isn’t right.” 

Mirajane nodded. This was the  _ ex-chairman’s _ address. Tartaros should be sending their best after him. So why had they sent these soldiers that hadn’t been able to land a single hit on either her or Erza, when they had fighters that could single-handedly take down Laxus and his whole team? 

“I think—” The world spun, going hazy for a moment, and Mirajane grabbed onto Erza’s shoulder, trying to steady herself, but she was swaying as well. 

“Mira…?” Erza managed to gasp, just before her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed, leaving Mirajane to topple into a heap on top of her. 

_ Dammit. _ How could they be so stupid? Not even consider that Tartaros had contacts within the council? She could still taste that strange tea on her tongue, even as her thoughts clouded over. 

Mirajane curled her fingers around a piece of Erza’s armor, determined not to let go of her, no matter what happened. 

* * *

Meredy turned her head away as Cobra and Midnight were reunited, after over seven years of being imprisoned separately. It was gentle as they held each other, whispering how they missed each other, asking if the other was okay. 

Meredy could feel every emotion through her link with the both of them. The joy, relief, contentment. 

She hadn’t felt anything like that since Ultear…. 

“You need a haircut,” Midnight said, as they ran their fingers through Cobra’s hair. “You’ve never let it get this long.” 

Cobra smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Not like there’s knives in here, and you’re one to talk.” He gestured to their hair.

They scoffed. “At least I braid it so it doesn’t look like shit.” 

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll find a knife and hack it off.” 

Meredy fell against the wall, her chest suddenly feeling very tight. She couldn’t… She would never… She would  _ never _ have this again. 

A cool tear dripped down her cheek, and Cobra and Midnight jerked away from each other, turning their attention to her, no doubt feeling her sorrow through the link. “Let’s go,” she snapped, brushing the tear away with her thumb. 

“Meredy—” Jellal attempted. 

“I said let’s go!” she repeated. “We need to break the rest of them out.” She ignored Jellal’s pitying look, and marched down the hallway, trying to block out Cobra and Midnight’s feelings. 

* * *

Erza awoke to chains clasped around her wrists, dangling her from the ceiling, leaving her arms aching. She jerked, and the chains rattled, but she didn’t accomplish much more than that. She tried to call on her magic, to summon a blade sharp enough to cut through them, but nothing happened, and that was when dread pooled in her stomach. 

_ Sealstone, magic-dampening cuffs, _ she realized. She jerked again, the panic setting in as she remembered what happened at ex-chairman Crawford’s house. She’d been  _ drugged. _ She hissed at the cowardice in such an action, and at the ex-chairman for being deplorable enough to sell out his own allies to Tartaros. 

“I’ve been waiting on you to stir, Erza Scarlet.” 

Erza twisted in the chains, trying to look over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the woman who had spoken. 

She stepped out of the shadows, sticking close to the edge of the cell Erza had been put in, an unsettling smile on her face. 

“Demon,” Erza snarled, baring her teeth. “What have you done with Mira?” 

The demon waved her hand. “She’s already been taken down to the lab for Seilah, but don’t worry.” She leaned closer. “You’ll join her there eventually. She’s not  _ as _ interested in faeries as she is other things, but I’m sure she’ll be thrilled with you all the same.” 

Erza tried to kick her, but her legs were chained to the floor, allowing for only the bare minimum of movement. 

“But I want some information first,” the demon continued. 

She should have expected as much, and like hell Erza was going to give her what she wanted. She would get out of here, and then she would find Mirajane, and they would kick these demons’ asses! 

“I’m Kyoka,” the demon said. “Since we were never properly introduced. Now…” She grabbed Erza’s chin, softly running her fingers across her skin. “Tell me why Fairy Tail has decided to get involved in a battle that has nothing to do with them.” 

Erza glanced down at the demon’s hand, before jerking out of her grasp, and lunging to sink her teeth into her hand. Blood spurted across her tongue, putrid and disgusting,  _ nothing _ like human blood. 

Kyoka growled, and ripped her hand out of Erza’s jaws. “You damn bitch!” 

Erza smirked, and spat a mouthful of blood at her face. 

Kyoka surged forward, grabbing a handful of Erza’s hair and yanking her head backwards. “You’re going to fucking regret that. I was trying to be  _ civil.” _

She may have fucked herself over with a maneuver like that, but Erza couldn’t find it in herself to care. She wasn’t going to talk, and Kyoka would have ended up trying to torture her anyways. What did it matter if it happened sooner rather than later? 

She grinned at Kyoka. “Do your worst,  _ demon.”  _

* * *

Natsu knew they were close to Tartaros’s base when he got that strange feeling in his chest. That burning, warm and foreign, that indicated demons were nearby. “We’re close,” he said. 

“Yeah.” Gajeel held his hand over his nose. “I can tell. The stench of hellspawn is almost making me gag.” 

Natsu grimaced. Gajeel was right about it not being a  _ pleasant _ scent. “Now what?” he asked. It wasn’t like the two of them could take on the entirety of Tartaros by themselves. But… He could tell that this cube Tartaros had made their base out of wasn’t meant to be out in these mountains. Its scent didn’t match the surroundings, which meant they could  _ move _ it. So if they left to go get backup, it was likely Tartaros could change locations, and then they would be unable to find the place again. 

“Go back to the guildhall,” Gajeel said. “Get help. I’m gonna see what else I can find out.” 

“Like hell!” Natsu exclaimed. “I’m not leaving you here!” He marched towards the cube, to solidify his point. “You want backup,  _ you _ go get it.” 

“I don’t have wings, you jackass!” he argued. “You’re faster!” 

Natsu huffed. “Whatever. I’m not leaving.” 

Gajeel smacked him upside the head. “Fine. But be careful.” 

He grinned. “When am I not?” 


	49. Destruction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juvia struggles to come to terms with what's happening, Gajeel and Natsu run into trouble, and Elfman returns to the guildhall

Juvia could only watch the chaos in the guildhall. Reports of dead council and ex-council members were coming in every second. Nearly every team that had been sent out was too late. Even Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy hadn’t been able to stop their charge from getting murdered, and now, as Wendy told everyone about the Face weapon, the dread and horror was only growing worse. Not to mention that no one had heard from Mirajane and Erza, or Elfman and Lisanna. 

How could her family have been so wrong? They thought that demons had basically been eradicated, only a rare few still roaming Fiore, too weak to cause major issues. How could they… Had her mother died for nothing? Had her father been slaughtered by these very same demons? Did they laugh at her family? Mock them for being so confident in their eradication of demons that ultimately meant nothing? 

She held her hand over her mouth, choking back a sob. She hadn’t allowed herself to think of her father. The Grand Magic Games and Eclipse Gate had provided an amazing distraction, had forced her to put him out of her mind, which was just what she wanted, but now…. That was no longer an option. She couldn’t hold her grief down anymore, especially since the very things he had fought so hard against, the very things that had torn him to pieces, were running throughout Fiore, determined to steal away their magic. 

“Hey.” 

Juvia twitched, and glanced up at Gray through the locks of hair that had fallen into her face. She hadn’t noticed him approach, too busy chasing her thoughts in circles. 

“Levy was wondering if you had any information on Tartaros demons, considering your family and everything,” he said, before sighing. “But I’ll tell her not right now.” 

“No, no.” Juvia brushed her hair out of her face and stood up. “I’m afraid I don’t know anything of value, we didn’t even know Tartaros existed, but I can—” 

“Juvia.” He grabbed her wrist. “I know you’re upset.” 

She bowed her head. “Can you feel it?” She’d suspected it for a while now, that their bond was strong enough for him to feel her emotions, and that he either hadn’t realized it, or hadn’t wanted to bring it up. 

“I think so,” he admitted. “But it really is obvious, only a moron wouldn’t notice.” He let go of her wrist, and turned his head away. “And no one would blame you.” 

She opened her mouth, before closing it, unsure of what to say. It just… It just  _ hurt. _ Her family had struggled and fought for generations, and it all amounted to _nothing._

“I think it’s safe to say that I know demons better than anyone here,” Gray said as he held his hand over his black eye. “They killed my family, my master, and I  _ am _ one.” 

“Gray—” 

He let his hand fall and shook his head. “Maybe not completely, but I know what it feels like. What  _ they _ feel like. The rage, the bloodlust… They’re not going to stop, not unless someone kills them.” 

“Not unless  _ we _ kill them,” Juvia whispered. 

“Is that what you want?” he asked. 

Juvia had never wanted to kill demons. Ever since she was little, she had ignored her parents’ teachings, had told them she wanted nothing to do with this. Even after she was older, and her mother was murdered and she accessed her magic and joined Phantom Lord, she’d never felt the urge to go after demons, even the one responsible for the death of her mother. Revenge had simply never been a driving factor for her. She’d always preferred to just live her life, go along with what happened, but now… 

_ But now… _

“I’m going to finish what my parents started,” she said, determination blazing in her eyes. “I’m going to destroy them all.” 

* * *

In hindsight, perhaps separating from Gajeel wasn’t the greatest idea. It’d seemed like a smart idea at the time. Cover more ground, find more information, they were less likely to be spotted if they were creeping around alone rather than together, but Natsu was starting to get twitchy. He didn’t like not knowing where his brother was at, or if he was safe. Not to mention he hated that no one was watching his back in a place like this. 

The hallways were narrow and winding, full of more demons than he could count.  _ How _ could Fiore not have noticed there were so many of the creatures? Where had they been hiding? What had they been doing? 

He groaned, falling against the cool, stone wall, clutching at his chest as a particularly strong wave of that feeling coursed through him. It didn’t  _ hurt, _ exactly, but it was so strange it was uncomfortable. It felt like there was something inside him, something that wasn’t supposed to be there, lurking just beneath the surface, and something about demons caused this presence to stir. 

It’d never been this strong before. Not when he faced Deliora, not on Tenrou when Hades summoned his demons, not in Sun Village. Was it because there were so many demons here? Or was there some other reason? 

Whatever the case, he needed to get over it. He couldn’t afford to fall apart right now, so he pushed himself off the wall, and did his best to ignore the spreading feeling. 

The temperature plummeted, and Natsu whipped around, already calling out Gray’s name, because the magic felt  _ so similar, _ before he realized the scent didn’t match up perfectly, and there was no way that Gray would even be here anyways. 

“Well, well. Looks like we’ve got another fairy.” 

Natsu’s entire body tensed, the fire building in his palm flickering away.  _ What the hell?  _ He jerked back a step, his wings instinctively flaring. 

Why did he look like Gray? Why did he  _ smell _ like Gray? Why did his magic feel the  _ exact damn same!?  _

The man raised an eyebrow. “Not going to attack?” 

“Who are you?” he snarled, forcing his fire to return. Whoever or whatever this was, he  _ wasn’t _ Gray, and he couldn’t let himself get thrown off like that. 

The man frowned, a strange look in his eye, and Natsu noticed the freezing cold too slow. There was a flash of white, and then nothing. 

* * *

Lisanna shivered, and she pulled her knees tighter to her chest, trying to glean any warmth she could. The cell was so cold, and the metal shackles on her wrists and ankles did nothing to help. She had no idea where she was, though she assumed it was some kind of Tartaros hideout. All she knew was that she had woken up here, chained to the wall, and with throbbing pains in her neck. 

She pressed her forehead to her knees. Was Elfman okay? What had that demon done with him? Was he even still alive? She assumed so. If they had kept her alive for some reason, surely they would have done the same for him. 

The cell door creaked open, and she jerked her head up. 

“Let me go, you bastard!” Natsu hissed as he thrashed. “I’ll take your fucking head off!” He kicked and squirmed, but the demon holding his chains merely rolled her eyes, before tossing him into the cell and closing the door behind him. 

“Natsu?” she rasped, wincing at how awful her voice sounded. She tried to ignore the horror and dread flooding through her. Why was Natsu here? Had he been captured too? What about everyone else? 

He awkwardly forced himself up, maneuvering around the chains binding his wrists, and even his wings together. “Lis?” He lunged towards her. “Lis! What happened?” 

She let out a shaky breath. “Demon got to Elfman, controlled him somehow, and he—” She broke off into a coughing fit, and tears pricked at her eyes as it only made the pain in her throat worse. Rather than finishing her sentence, she just gestured to the ugly bruising on her neck. 

Natsu’s eyes widened, and he settled down next to her, a soft growl thrumming from his chest. “Are you okay?” 

She forced herself to nod. She was alive, and that was all that mattered. Even if she was in a demon’s dungeon. She pressed closer to Natsu, relishing in his warmth. “You?” she asked, though her voice was even quieter than before. She wouldn’t be surprised if she lost it completely if she kept trying to talk. 

“Me and Gajeel tracked a demon here, then this stupid ice bastard got the jump on me,” he muttered, obviously very irritated with the situation. But then he frowned, confusion overtaking his anger. “It was weird… he was so similar to Gray…” 

Lisanna’s eyebrows knitted together. Natsu didn’t compare people like that. He barely even compared her to Mirajane, stating they just  _ felt _ different to him, despite how similar they looked and how similar their magic was, so if he thought this person was like Gray… Just how alike  _ were _ they? 

“We need to get out of here,” he said, glancing around the cell. “They put this shit on me though, so I can’t just burn my way out.” He held his wrists up, revealing the sealstone he wore. 

Lisanna nodded, showing off her own sealstone. 

Natsu hummed, staring hard at the chains, before lifting his wrists to his mouth, and biting down on the chains. 

“What are you doing?” Lisanna asked, forcing down another cough. 

“If Gajeel can eat through this shit, it can’t be that hard,” he said around the chain, still trying to gnaw through the iron, and she winced at the horrific sound of his teeth scraping against it. 

She wasn’t sure she would consider that logic very strong, considering how Gajeel’s body was literally designed to tear through metal like it was nothing, but as the chain cracked around Natsu’s fangs, she decided maybe she didn’t know enough about dragon slayers to make a decision. 

And she felt bad for every single opponent one of them had ever bitten. 

Footsteps echoed, and Lisanna elbowed him, just in case he hadn’t noticed them. 

Natsu dropped the chain, spitting out a chip of the metal. His body tensed, and an angry snarl ripped from his chest. 

The man stepped into view, and Lisanna immediately understood what Natsu meant about similarities to Gray. 

“The hell do you want?” Natsu demanded. 

He regarded them with a cool glare, his expression revealing nothing about what he may be thinking. “I have no interest in either one of you. I just have a few questions about another member of your guild.” 

Lisanna frowned, growing very unsettled by this man’s presence. Something about it just  _ wasn’t right.  _

Natsu’s lip curled up, revealing his fangs. “Like hell I’m answerin’ any questions from you.” 

He ignored the comment. “Gray Fullbuster, he’s in your guild, right?” 

Lisanna had no idea what else she was expecting. It was obvious the two of them were connected in some way. She would have assumed he was family to Gray, if she didn’t know for a fact that his entire family was dead. 

“I’m not telling you a single thing about him!” Natsu snapped, making a move to get up, but Lisanna grabbed him and held him back. The last thing he needed was to try and attack him right now. 

The man frowned, the first bit of emotion on his face other than disinterest, before turning on his heel and walking away. 

Natsu huffed, and went back to trying to chew through his chains. 

* * *

“I can’t believe you got killed by a fairy,” Seilah teased. 

Jackal rolled his eyes. “It was your goddamn dragon slayers, that you told us we weren’t allowed to harm too badly.” 

She giggled and ran his hands through his hair. “I just want their bodies mostly intact. Although…” She cocked her head. “Alive is very nice too. A lot more experiments I can do if they’re still alive.” 

Jackal leaned into her touch. “Isn’t that one in the tube over there enough?” he whined. “I wanna kill those bastards.” 

“No,” Seilah said firmly. She couldn’t say that she cared at all for Mirajane Strauss. Lamy could have her fun with her. 

“What about the faerie bitch?” he prodded. 

She raised an eyebrow. “Please, by the time Kyoka’s done with her, she’ll be mincemeat. Besides, I want  _ slayers.”  _

Jackal sighed. “You and your fucking slayer obsession.” 

She shrugged. “At least I got my job done. Speaking of which.” She nudged him away. “You need to go kill those last few council members so we can activate Face.” 

He waved her off, but got to his feet. “Yeah, yeah, I’m going, babe.” 

* * *

Gajeel was not used to being snuck up on. The only ones who had ever accomplished it were his siblings, because they knew how to mask their footsteps, keep downwind, they knew every way to avoid slayer senses, only because they themselves had them. 

So when he felt a cool hand against the back of his neck, he froze, shock and panic racing through him. 

_ How did I not notice someone come up behind me? _ He whipped around, his skin turning to iron as he prepared to hit the demon, but he stopped, just before his fist connected with her jaw. His eyes widened as his body refused to move, refused to do what he told it. 

The demon laughed, a high, manic sound, as she leaned towards him, placing her hand on his chest. “You really thought we couldn’t sense you scurrying around our home like rats?” Her smile stretched wider. 

“Fuck off, bitch!” he snarled. “The hell did you—” 

“Hush.” She grabbed his chin, pushing his head to the side, as if she were examining him. “I do hate noisy experiments.” 

Unsettling tingles raced down his spine as he realized he couldn’t talk, couldn’t even move his tongue or open his mouth. He tried to move again, but his body still wouldn’t listen, and the  _ fear _ set in. 

The demon could kill him right here, right now, and he wouldn’t even be able to defend himself. 

_ Experiment. _ His panic at being unable to move was stifled. He couldn’t fight, he couldn’t move, even when it felt like his breathing started to deepen, his body forced him to breathe normally. This demon had forced his body to stand perfectly still, leaving him trapped within his own skin. 

And it was  _ terrifying. _

“You’re going to be so interesting,” she said. “I can’t  _ wait.”  _ She motioned for him to follow her, and despite how much he didn’t want to, he obediently followed her, like some kind of damn dog. 

She led him through the winding hallways of the base, that twisted smile never leaving her face. Any other demons they came across skirted out of her way, some eyed him with contempt, some curiosity, and a rare few, gave him looks of pity. 

He didn’t want to think about what might cause demons to feel  _ sorry _ for him. 

She ushered him into what looked like a lab, and the word  _ experiment _ echoed in his head. Awful images of being cut open, studied, poked at, prodded, flashed through his mind, and he nearly felt  _ sick.  _

The random bodies thrown into corners, sprawled across tables, and shoved into tubes certainly didn’t help. Some were in pieces, some had been cut open, some had horns, some didn’t. The stench was  _ horrific. _

“Don’t worry,” the demon purred. “I won’t be killing you anytime soon. I’ve got too many things I want to try first.” 

That did  _ very _ little to calm him down. Had he been able to do anything other than think, he wasn’t even sure what he would be doing. Despite everything he had gone through in Phantom Lord, he had never actually been  _ tortured. _ Even the channeling in Edolas he wouldn’t call torture, it was a different type of pain. 

Nausea that could rival his motion sickness caused his stomach to turn as he watched her lay out different scalpels, tweezers, scissors, basically anything that he didn’t want anywhere  _ near _ himself. 

_ At least it’s me,  _ he tried telling himself.  _ She doesn’t have Natsu, it’s just me. It’s just— It’s just—  _

Vomit bubbled up his throat, and thankfully the demon released her curse’s hold on him just slightly enough to let him lean over and throw up. She just stared at him as he threw his guts up, none of the manic excitement leaving her eyes. “Lamy!” she called. “Come clean this up! And stay nearby for when I need you to clean up the blood! After that you can play with the Strauss woman!” 

Gajeel couldn’t even focus on what she had just said. His chest was constricting, leaving him dry heaving even after he had nothing else left in his stomach. It  _ hurt, _ but he knew it was nothing compared to what was coming. 

She laid her hand on his shoulder, delicately running her fingers across his guildmark. “Stop.” 

And just like that, his body calmed down. He stopped retching, his breathing slowed down to regular breaths, giving him that sick sense of normalcy. 

“Now.” She wiped a string of vomit away from his chin. “Let’s get started.” 

* * *

Cana knew something was strange the second Elfman returned to the guildhall. For one thing, Lisanna wasn’t with him. When Lucy inquired about her, he simply said that she had gone home first and that she wanted to shower and take a quick nap, but something wasn’t right about that. Never mind the fact that Lisanna wouldn’t want to be alone at a time like this, something about the way Elfman said it left Cana on edge. 

Normally, she would just mention something to Mirajane, but she wasn’t here, no one had even heard from her and Erza for a while now, so that wasn’t an option. Evergreen would be her second pick, but again, that wasn’t exactly an option at the moment. With an irritated sigh, she got up, and went to go ask Elfman what the fuck was wrong with him. 

She followed him into one of the back rooms, and kicked the door closed behind her. “So, the fuck’s up with you?” she asked. 

He turned to look at her. “Go away, Cana.” 

“Uh… no?” She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward. “Not until you give me a decent answer. What’s going on with Lisanna? What happened with the council member you were sent to protect?” 

“She was already dead, we were too late,” he said, his voice  _ severely _ lacking in emotion. 

She frowned. She couldn’t say she was  _ surprised, _ given that was pretty much the same thing everyone else was running into, but he was definitely leaving something out. “And what else? We grew up together, Elfman. I can tell when something’s wrong.” 

His eyes widened, and he shook his head. “No, no, no, no.” 

“Hey.” Cana’s irritation twisted into  _ concern _ as she watched Elfman back away from her, pressing his hands against his head. It reminded her all too much of his breakdowns after he thought he’d killed Lisanna. “Talk to me.” She took a step towards him. “Tell me what’s wrong.” 

“I’m sorry,” he gasped, before grabbing her and slamming her against the wall. “I’m so sorry.” 

Cana wheezed, but managed to wrench herself free of his hold before he got her too tightly pinned. She dropped to the floor, and rolled away from him, coming up in a crouch. “The hell are you doing!?” 

The guilt in his expression vanished, leaving his eyes completely  _ vacant, _ and it clicked. “The hell did Tartaros do?” she amended. 

When he lunged for her again, she tried to get to the door. She was going to need help restraining him and snapping him out of whatever this might be, but he grabbed her hair, yanking her backwards, and shoved his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream for help. 

Something bright glinted in the corner of her vision.  _ Is that a fucking  _ bomb!? she realized as Elfman pulled it out of his pocket. 

She thrashed into his hold, desperately trying to free herself, but he was so much stronger than her. Even with one arm, he could keep her from maneuvering. 

_ He’s going to kill us all! What can I do? What can I do? What can I  _ do!? 

She nearly wrenched her arm out of her socket to reach her bag that was sliding down her thighs, her fingers brushing her cards. She’d never actually used this spell before, and by god she hoped it worked. 

_ Please, _ she begged.  _ Please let it work.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tartaros is just going to give everyone even more lasting psychological damages, so that'll be fun


	50. Counter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seilah experiments on Gajeel, Mirajane awakens in Hell's Core, Natsu and Lisanna escape, and Erza struggles against Kyoka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to go ahead and give a graphic gore heads up for this chapter. I really don't think it's that bad, but I'll give the heads up just in case that bothers anyone! And it's.... basically for the entire first half of it

Jackal stomped down on the council member’s skull, relishing in the crack and squelch as the bone shattered and his foot smashed into her brain. He stepped back, letting the body explode, leaving nothing behind but a scorch mark and a few stray ashes. 

“There.” He kicked at the limp body of some bystander who hadn’t run faster enough. “Now Mard Geer will get off my ass.” 

With every important member of the council dead, Face should unseal any moment. 

Jackal grinned, taking a deep breath. The scent of burning flesh and smoke was so  _ good. _ “We’ve almost done it Seilah, Kyoka. We’ll get Zeref back soon.” 

* * *

Seilah slipped her scalpel beneath the scale on his neck, and Gajeel wanted to  _ scream. _ She’d halfway cut it off already, but now she’d decided to peel it away, tearing at the skin and scales surrounding it. Honestly he shouldn’t be complaining. Ripping his scales off didn’t hurt nearly as badly as it had when she’d wrenched one of his fangs out with a pair of pliers, or sliced his finger down to the bone to see how his claws attached. 

“Interesting,” she said, as she held the bloody scale up to examine it. “It isn’t an extra layer over your skin, it’s just muscle directly beneath it.” She dropped it into a little pan, along with several other scales she had cut away, and his tooth. “Did you know that?” she asked. 

Of course, he didn’t think she actually wanted an answer, considering he still wasn’t allowed to speak or move. All he could do was lay on her metal table, limp and useless, as she did whatever the hell she wanted to with him. 

Besides, even if he could answer,  _ no, _ he  _ didn’t _ know that, because he didn’t go around ripping his scales off for kicks! 

“But as fascinating as this is…” She took his hand, the one she  _ hadn’t _ mutilated yet, and ran her fingers over his claws. 

_ Dear god, is she going to rip those off, too!?  _

She let go of him, letting his hand fall back onto the table. “I’m more interested in the actual transformation than anything else. How did you stop yours?” she asked. “As far as I was aware, that wasn’t possible.” 

Gajeel just glared at her, trying to ignore the pain from his missing the scales, the blood dripping and pooling next to his head. 

“Oh, you can answer,” she said. 

His voice was returned to him, and he groaned, biting back a cry of pain. “Go to hell, bitch!” he spit. 

_ “Answer _ my  _ question,” _ she commanded. 

“We stopped it with dragon blood,” he replied before he could even think. “We replaced our blood with a dragon’s, and it stopped it.” 

“Oh?” She picked her scalpel back up, licked the blood from the little blade, and her eyes lit up. “That  _ is _ dragon blood! It’s been awhile since I’ve had any, I might have to take some later.” 

Gajeel had given up trying to move, it accomplished nothing, but at the thought of her draining his blood, he desperately tried to push himself up. He needed to  _ get out of here _ before he ended up as the next body in chunks on the floor. 

Seilah tapped her chin with the flat side of her scalpel as she stalked around the table. “I’ve always wanted to watch a transformation take place, but every single demon slayer that I got was dead, and the dragon slayers died out before I got interested in them. So I wonder…” She placed her hand on his chest. “If I could force yours along despite what you’ve done to stop it.” 

Gajeel’s eyes widened.  _ No… No, no, no, no.  _ She couldn’t do that, right? There was no way! She couldn’t… He wouldn’t…. 

Seilah laughed, and leaned closer. “Oh, your heart is  _ racing. _ I can’t even imagine how you might be screaming and thrashing if it weren’t for my curse.” She bared her teeth, creating some horrific blend between a smile and a snarl. “That only makes me more curious. Does it hurt? Oh, I bet it does, and I want to  _ see. _ And if I can turn a human into a demon, I think I could accomplish this.” 

He wanted her to stop touching him, he wanted her to back off, he wanted to get out of this lab before he was dead or turned into something unrecognizable. 

She finally pulled her hand away and shrugged. “Or I could end up accidentally turning you into a demon, but that’s fine. Your guild has three more slayers for me to have when we’re done, and who knows? A demon and a dragon slayer together could be interesting.” 

He wanted to get up, to yell and scream, to fight, but he couldn’t. All he could do was breathe, and listen to his heartbeat thundering in his ears, as Seilah made him her lab rat. 

* * *

Cana stumbled out of the guildhall, coughing and hacking, just as it exploded, with a handful of cards held to her chest, and the three Exceeds following her. 

“Cana!” Charle landed next to her, smoke staining her white fur, tears pooling in her eyes. “I tried to grab Wendy but she vanished and I—” 

Cana held the deck of cards up. “She’s okay, she’s fine. She’s in here.” She couldn’t believe that spell had  _ worked, _ and she was extremely fucking grateful it had as she watched the guildhall burn. 

She fell to her knees, holding the cards tighter. 

“What is that?” Happy asked as he landed on her shoulder, staring up at the sky. 

“Huh?” Cana twisted around, and she nearly dropped her cards at what she saw. “Is that… a giant fucking  _ rock, _ or something?” A giant cube just… just  _ floating _ in the  _ sky. _

Happy and Pantherlily puffed their fur up. “I think it’s Tartaros,” Pantherlily said. 

Cana narrowed her eyes. “Oh, yeah?” She forced herself up, straightening the deck of cards. “Get me up there.” 

“Are you  _ sure?” _ Pantherlily demanded. 

She nodded. “They have no reason to come to Magnolia except for us, and we’ve already started this, might as well finish.” They needed to pay for what they did to Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow. For what they did to Elfman and probably Lisanna. Not to mention the council and whoever else the sick fucks decided to kill. 

She would release everyone from their cards after they got up there. 

“It’s time to kill some demons.” 

* * *

Gajeel grit his teeth as foreign magic flooded through him, and his claws dug deep gouges into the table, creating an unholy screeching noise. Seilah had restored some of his movement, wanting to see how his body would naturally react to what she was doing, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. He could move, but it was slow and sluggish, and he could better feel the pain coursing through him as his breathing deepened, coming out in panicked gasps. 

The magic was dark, and he hated the way it felt. He wanted to  _ tear his skin off, _ just to get it out of him. It wasn’t  _ right. _ But then again, it was meant for turning people into demons, so of course it wasn’t going to be  _ pleasant. _ And by god, did he hope it didn’t turn him into a demon. By this point, he knew he wasn’t getting out of this unscathed, and he would much rather be a dragon than a demon, if he really had to choose. 

He felt the familiar, itchy pain of scales forming on his shoulders, and Seilah cooing in excitement as she leaned over him. She ran her fingers across the new scales on his shoulder blades, and hummed, just before that awful magic seemed to flow out of him, leaving him panting and thankful she’d  _ stopped. _

Although… without that magic… he could feel the deep, intense pain building in his back, and he didn’t need Seilah’s excited squeal to tell him what that meant. 

“Wings!” she gasped, as she grabbed her scalpel and sliced it into his back. 

He gasped in pain, still not given enough control over himself to even  _ scream. _

She cut deep enough to expose the bone, and she prodded at his shoulder blade with a pair of tweezers, marveling at the apparent differences in the bone. 

He tried to distract himself from the pain, to focus on literally  _ anything _ else, but the only solace he could find was the quiet  _ drip, drop _ of his blood flowing off the metal table and hitting the floor. 

“Alright.” She set the tweezers aside. “Let’s continue.” 

Her sick magic returned, the pain in his back  _ exploded,  _ and not even Seilah’s curse could keep him from screaming. 

* * *

Somehow, Natsu managed to bite through the chains binding his hands together eventually, though Lisanna imagined he was going to have very sore teeth and jaws for the next few days. After his hands were free, he was easily able to remove her chains and claw off the sealstone from their wrists. 

“We just have to wait for a good chance to run,” he said as he leaned against the bars, no doubt listening and smelling for any nearby demons. 

Lisanna nodded. 

* * *

Gajeel knew how much pain Natsu had been in when his wings grew in. Not only had he  _ watched, _ but Natsu had tried to explain it to him. His brother had woken up in the middle of the night once, unable to sleep because of sharp pains in his back and wings, something he evidently suffered from occasionally after he’d ended up with them, and he told Gajeel it had felt like someone was yanking his bones out when they grew in, just grabbing handfuls of his muscles and twisting them, that he’d never felt anything so awful. 

Natsu had also been on painkillers when his wings grew in. 

Gajeel couldn’t even  _ begin _ to describe the agony ripping through him. The pain from Seilah’s earlier experiments disappeared, all he could feel was his back being torn open, his bones pushing and shoving against each other. 

Seilah had stolen his voice again, and he  _ wished _ he could scream, if only so he didn’t have to listen to the horrible cracking of his bones growing and changing shape, the squelch of his muscles twisting, or the blood and gore splattering across the lab. 

Seilah had climbed on top of him, planting one foot on his spine to hold him down, and she was digging her fingers into the steadily expanding bone, tugging on it, talking to herself about it, that morbid excitement never leaving her soft voice. 

His movements were still slow and stilted, every time he tried to twist or writhe, Seilah shoved hard against his back, and her touch, her  _ presence, _ only made it worse. 

For a brief second, everything began to go dark, all he could hear was static, and he nearly sobbed with relief. Passing out for the rest of this would be  _ perfect. _ He wanted to feel nothing, he didn’t care if it was dangerous, he just wanted that relief,  _ needed _ that relief. But as soon as the feeling started, it was ripped away, and everything was in full clarity again, his senses snapped back to reality. 

“I don’t want you unconscious,” Seilah said. “It’s so much more interesting this way.” She bounded off the table, and shoved him onto his side. She pulled the half-formed wing over, forcing him to watch the stringy muscle covering the bones. “Look! Isn’t this  _ amazing!?”  _

Had he anything left in his stomach, Gajeel knew he would have lost it. He’d just barely held himself together when Natsu had gone through this, but this was his own… this was  _ his _ body, being twisted and changed and used like a plaything by this sadistic demon. This wasn’t even his magic forcing this on him anymore, it was  _ Seilah. _ Seilah and her disgusting curiosity. 

_ I hate you…  _ I hate you! 

He imagined sinking his claws into her chest, nailing her to a wall and ripping her insides out, and the idea left him so thrilled, that he managed to smile, despite the pain still rolling through his body. 

He could feel the wings now, feel the way they were connected to his body, the way they pulled on his muscles, and surprisingly, it wasn’t a foreign feeling, they felt strangely natural. He wondered if they were close to being done growing. 

“They’re beautiful,” Seilah mused, as she delicately ran her fingers along his jaw. “Let’s see what you think.” 

His voice was returned to him, and even though the pain was finally beginning to fade, all he managed was a broken screech. 

* * *

Mirajane stirred, an ungodly scream still echoing in her ears. 

Cool liquid surrounded her, soothed her, gave her a sense of calm. For a brief moment, she considered letting it lull her back to sleep, but something in the back of her mind set her on edge, warned her that something was wrong. 

“I'll make you such an ugly demon!” a voice cackled. “Ugly, ugly, ugly. Just because I can!” 

Power poured into her body, and Mirajane’s eyes snapped open as she remembered. Remembered the ex-chairman, remembered being captured, remembered  _ Tartaros. _

The demon pressed against the tube she was in yelped and jerked backwards, and Mirajane  _ lunged. _

The fool had been trying to turn her into a demon?  _ Her? _ She grinned, her body shifting into a takeover form without her even telling it to, feeding on the demonic energy they were pouring into her. 

She punched through the glass, grabbing the demon’s head, and she screamed as Mirajane tore her talons into her skin, cracking through her skull. “I’ll show you a real demon,” she purred, letting her magic build and build. 

The Master didn’t let her use her full power often. It was smothering and dark and uncontrollable, but here, in the pit of Hell, there was nothing to hold her back. In fact, she was only  _ more _ powerful here. She could feel the darkness, the evil magic, so much demonic energy for her to absorb. They really were idiots for bringing her here. 

“Lamy, you moron!” another demon scolded as she raced over. 

Mirajane raised an eyebrow, finally removing her talons from Lamy’s face, relishing in the soft  _ pop _ of the blood and gore as the suction helping to keep the demon’s insides from leaking out was lost. 

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t harm my assistant,” the other demon said. 

“Mistress Seilah…” Lamy wheezed. 

“Hush now!” Seilah commanded. 

Mirajane snarled, rising to her full height, broken glass cascading off of her body. “Where’s Erza?” 

“You interrupted my experiment,” Seilah growled. 

Mirajane scoffed. She didn’t have time for this. She held her hand out, letting her magic build in her palm, and blasted Seilah in the chest. 

She gasped, falling backwards, clearly surprised at Mirajane’s power. 

Mirajane merely rolled her eyes. Did these demons seriously think they could defeat her?  _ Contain _ her? With power as pathetic as  _ this!? _ It was almost insulting! 

She stepped around Seilah, who was still gasping and clutching at her chest, prepared to tear all of Tartaros apart to find Erza, when someone caught her eye. 

A  _ familiar _ someone, sprawled across an examination table, looking like death itself. 

“Gajeel!” she exclaimed, rushing over to him, taking in the massive black-gray wings attached to his back. “What did— How are— Are you okay!?” 

He stared at her, his eyes hazy and unfocused. “Mira…?” 

_ Oh god, his screaming is what woke me up, _ she realized. “Yeah, it’s me. Can you get up?” She hoped he could. She could carry him, but that would make fighting a hell of a lot more difficult. 

He managed to shake his head, and even that looked like it had taken every bit of his willpower. “I still can’t… That bitch has still got control over me. It slipped some, but I can’t—” 

“That’s  _ mine,” _ Seilah snarled, having recovered while Mirajane was distracted. She drove her fist into Mirajane’s back, leaving her to topple on top of Gajeel, who wheezed in pain. 

“Sorry!” she squeaked, twisting around to face Seilah, and flaring her own wings to keep him protected. 

“It’s fine,” he gasped, though she could hear the pain in his voice. 

She nodded. “Brace yourself. I’m going all out against her.” 

Seilah scoffed. “You think you stand a chance in hell against me?” 

Mirajane bared her teeth, and let her power  _ explode. _

* * *

Gray blinked, trying to ignore his turning stomach as he stared at Magnolia from above, standing on the bottom of a  _ cube. _ By all means, he should be falling to his death at the moment. 

Cana was shouting at everyone, explaining what happened, while holding up the card that Elfman was evidently still trapped in, just on the off chance he would try and kill everyone the second he was released. 

“We need to get inside this base!” Cana exclaimed. “I think they have Lisanna, and we still haven’t heard from Mira, Erza, Natsu, or Gajeel in a while, and we need to—” 

The entire cube shuddered, and Gray stumbled forward, catching himself on Juvia’s shoulder. 

Dark, smothering magic settled in the air, followed by a sickeningly strong magic. 

“Mira,” he gasped. “And Erza!” 

* * *

Erza bit her tongue hard enough to make it bleed as Kyoka kneed her in the stomach. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been here now,  _ hours,  _ at the least, and all she could feel was  _ pain. _ Feel pain as Kyoka ripped into her with her talons, feel pain as she punched her hard enough Erza could feel her bones cracking. 

Her curse that amplified pain certainly did nothing to help. 

Kyoka grabbed a handful of her hair, and yanked her head to the side. “Now tell me,  _ why _ you fairies decided to get in our way? We would have just left you alone, we had no quarrel with you.” She tugged viciously on the strand of hair, and Erza yelped. “So  _ why?” _

Erza glared at her. “You made us suspicious, but then you did the unforgivable.” She bared her teeth. “You hurt some of our own.” They  _ still _ didn’t know if Laxus, Evergreen, Freed, and Bixlow were going to pull through, and these demons had to  _ pay _ for that. 

Kyoka huffed, not satisfied with the answer. “I—” 

The door to the torture chamber banged open, and Natsu punched his flaming fist straight into the back of Kyoka’s head, leaving her to crumple to the ground. “I thought I smelled you!” he exclaimed with a grin, but his smile quickly faded as he took in her sorry state. “Erza…” 

“I’m fine,” she insisted. And she  _ was. _ Already, Kyoka’s curse was fading, the most intense of the pain going with it. 

Natsu opened his mouth to argue with her, but Lisanna brushed past him and rattled Erza’s chains. 

“Right, right,” he said, and he quickly burned through them. 

“We need to get out of here,” Erza said as she dropped to the floor. “We need to warn the rest of the guild.” 

“We gotta find Gajeel first,” Natsu said. “He’s around here somewhere and I’m not leaving him.” 

Erza nodded. “Mira, too.” 

Lisanna’s eyes widened. “They have… Mira  _ and _ Elf?” she rasped. 

Erza grimaced. So Tartaros had managed to capture  _ six _ of them? And that was just who they  _ knew _ about. There could be other guild members trapped here, too. 

Kyoka began to stir, and Erza shoved Natsu and Lisanna towards the door. “Go! I’ll handle her, find everyone else!” 

“Erza!” Natsu protested. 

But she wasn’t listening. She wasn’t  _ that _ badly injured, she was still capable of walking and holding a sword, and that was all that mattered. Already she was requipping into a suitable armor set. “I said,  _ go!”  _

“Fine,” Natsu growled. “But you better not fucking die.” 

* * *

The Tartaros base was in absolute chaos. Magic was bubbling all throughout it, rising and smothering each other out.  _ This is it, _ Lisanna thought.  _ I didn’t think we would actually be fighting them so soon, but this is really it.  _

She had to pull herself together. She refused to let herself be useless. She would fight, and she would defeat demons, just like everybody else. 

But first she had to find Mirajane and Elfman and make sure that they were safe. 

Natsu skidded to a stop, and Lisanna slammed into his back. She peered over his shoulder, and she counted at least ten Tartaros soldiers blocking their path. 

“Go,” he told her. “I’ll take care of them.” 

“But—” 

He shook his head and shoved her back with his wing. “Find everyone else!  _ Go!”  _

She forced herself to nod, and sprint in the opposite direction. 

* * *

Erza gasped, fighting back a scream as Kyoka threw her through a wall, leaving her to skid across an open courtyard, sparks flying as her armor scraped against the stone. 

“How foolish are you?” Kyoka asked as she stalked towards her. “You sent your allies away, and for what? Stubborn pride? You’re going to end up right back where you started.” She threw her head back, cackling. “Oh, you people never change.” 

Erza grit her teeth, forcing herself back to her feet. 

Kyoka lunged, and Erza blocked her claws with her sword, and an unholy screech echoed as the demon slid her talons along the metal. 

“What do you even want?” Erza hissed. She  _ could not _ figure it out. They had been in hiding for so long, why were they doing this  _ now? _ What goal did they have that they suddenly thought they could achieve? 

“As if you could ever understand.” Kyoka leaped backwards, breaking the stalemate. “You’re just  _ in our way!”  _

Erza drug her foot back, and held her sword out, bracing for the coming attack. She didn’t know what it was about Kyoka’s magic, or her  _ curse, _ but it was hard to fight against, it didn’t work like any magic Erza was used to fighting. 

She felt her power thrum, and small wisps of golden light laced her blade. 

Erza’s eyes widened, and she remembered the way her gold magic had hurt Hades’ demons, had even hurt Gray. 

She bared her teeth in a smile, and called on that peculiar magic, willing it to grow stronger, wilder. Was it made specifically for combatting demons? For battling curses? 

Kyoka’s smug smile began to fade. “No… No, how could you have something like that? It’s not supposed to exist anymore!” 

Erza surged forward, shoving her blade against Kyoka, her talons just barely stopping it from slicing into her chest. The demon gasped, and her eyes widened in fear as Erza shoved her against the ground, a pillar of golden magic forming around them. 

The ground cracked beneath the weight of her magic, caving in beneath them, as her power burrowed into Tartaros. 

Erza roared as Kyoka screamed, the ground crumbling beneath them, as Erza tore through Tartaros’s fortress, carving a hold through it. 

Kyoka gasped, and her skin sizzled where the light came into contact with it. “Damn you, Erza,” she spit, before vanishing. 

Erza blinked, before yelping as she realized her leverage was gone, leaving her falling through the center of Tartaros. 

Had that coward of a demon really fled rather than face her death head on? 

She dug her sword into the stone walls, catching herself, before she marveled at the destruction she had caused. “I really do need to train more with that power…” 

She heaved herself up over the ledge, sword still in hand, ready to find her next demon. 

* * *

Lucy could only gape as she watched a column of shining, golden magic tear through the cube, giving them the perfect way inside the base. 

Had Erza really…? 

She nearly shuddered, the lingering traces and Erza and Mirajane’s magic still floating through the air. 

“Come on!” Loke grabbed her hand, tugging her after him as he followed the rest of the guild as they poured into Tartaros’s home. “We’ve got a battle to fight!” 

Lucy steeled herself, and gripped her whip tighter. She could do this. 

_ I can do this.  _

* * *

Natsu was panting by the time he handled the last Tartaros soldier. They hadn’t been that hard to take down, but there were a lot of them. He turned, preparing to chase after Lisanna and help her find their missing friends, when an unsettling presence settled in the air. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and a chill raced down his spine. 

“Hello there, Natsu,” a soft voice said behind him. 

Natsu whipped around, coming face to face with—

“Zeref.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all have no idea how excited I am to finally write another Natsu and Zeref confrontation


	51. Zeref's Bookshelf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zeref has a conversation with Natsu, and Levy, Laki, and Kinana discover Seilah's lab

Smoke and ash swirled in the air, the dying embers of the fire the only bright thing in Magnolia anymore. The setting sun was obscured by black clouds, leaving the world dark and menacing. 

Mavis curled her toes, feeling the rubble and dust of the guildhall between them. 

Magic was thick in the air, raining down as Tartaros and her guild clashed, and she wasn’t the only one who could feel it. The people of Magnolia were fleeing, trying to evacuate before the destruction above was turned on the city itself. She couldn’t say that she blamed them for trying to run, and she could only hope that they got out of the city before the fighting inevitably spread. 

A sickeningly familiar magic blanketed over Magnolia, and Mavis gasped. “Zeref?” 

She never would have thought… He had not interacted with Tartaros in so long, leaving them to their own devices, unsatisfied with them, in the long run. So why was he here now? Could it be because of her guild? Because of Natsu? 

Perhaps she should have warned her guild. She knew they needed to accomplish this on their own, but maybe she could have… If she had  _ told _ them what the Etherious were, who they belonged to, gave them any kind of warning at all that Zeref might be involved. 

Because she wasn’t even completely sure that her guild could defeat Tartaros, it was going to be a difficult battle, and not one without losses, but if Zeref had arrived, and was against them, her guild didn’t stand a chance. 

Zeref wasn’t known for being impatient, so it made little sense that he wouldn’t just let Natsu come to him eventually, so what was he doing? She knew him very well by this point, but Mavis simply couldn’t come up with a single reason as to  _ why _ he might be here. 

Was he here to watch the battle, much like her? She supposed that could make some sense, but if so, why let his presence be known like this? She doubted she was the only one capable of feeling it. 

“Have you changed your mind yet again, Zeref?” she whispered as she bowed her head. “No one will ever be able to give you what you want if you keep doing this.” 

She certainly hadn’t been able to make him happy, as much as she may have wanted to. But then again… That was more her own decision than anything. It was partially her fault that Zeref had become this. 

She knew he teetered between loving her and hating her, sometimes he even managed both at the same time. And her own feelings towards him were just as complicated. Even now, nearly a century later, she still wasn’t able to decipher what she felt for him. 

Occasionally… she wondered what might have become of them, become of the  _ world, _ if she had simply loved him, as he had loved her. If she hadn’t given herself completely to the world, and to magic, placing that above Zeref time and time again. 

“Would you still be so despaired, if I had given myself to you instead?” 

The wind swirled, stirring the ashes of her guildhall. 

“Would it have mattered at all?” 

* * *

“So, you finally know who I am,” Zeref said. 

Natsu’s eyes flicked across the courtyard, taking in how still and eerily silent everything was. “What did you do?” 

Zeref rose from the hunk of rubble he had been sitting on. “I’ve frozen us in this little pocket of time, for just a few moments. I’d like to have the opportunity to talk to you.” 

Natsu took an involuntary step backwards. There was something different about Zeref now. He felt different than he had on Tenrou, his confusion was gone, and somehow, this version of Zeref was even more unsettling. “Why?” Why was Zeref so interested in him? What had he ever done? Why did Zeref  _ know _ him? “What do you want with me?” 

“Oh?” Zeref raised an eyebrow. “Not going to fight? That’s unlike you.” 

Natsu growled. He  _ hated _ how much Zeref seemed to think he knew about him. Besides, he knew better than to try and fight him right now. Never mind that he knew next to nothing about him other than the fact that he was incredibly powerful, but he wasn’t hostile. Even if Natsu tried to attack him, he got the feeling that he wouldn’t fight back, not really. There was also the issue of no one knowing what Zeref  _ actually _ wanted, what his motivations were. 

Zeref waved his hand. “It’s no matter. I’m just glad to see you again. Though I wish it could be under better circumstances. My creations… are not known for being very gentle.” 

“Creations?” he echoed. 

“Demons, Etherious, whatever you’d like to call them.” He took a step closer, and Natsu took another step back. “Surely you knew.” 

Vaguely, he thought he might have remembered  _ someone  _ mentioning that Zeref was the creator of demons, but he hadn’t cared enough to pay much attention to that. “So this is all because of you?” he snarled. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said. “While I may have written them into existence, they do have their free will, for the most part.” He looked across the courtyard, taking in the massive structure Tartaros had made their home. “Everything they have done, they’ve done of their own accord, even if it’s in my name. Well…” He turned back to Natsu, the dull look in his eyes sharpening. “My name, and E.N.D.’s.” 

Natsu swallowed thickly, sensing there was some hidden message in that statement that he simply wasn’t grasping. “So if they’ve done it all for you, have you come to lead them? Reward them?” If so, that made him an enemy. And if that were true, he would fight him here and now, damn the consequences. 

Zeref laughed softly. “No, not at all. I came here for  _ you. _ If the Etherious truly want me back, I will let them come to me, not the other way around.” 

_ Me. Why me? What did I ever do?  _ “Who are you?” Natsu asked, desperately needing to know why he was so familiar, why he dreamed about him, why they seemed to be connected somehow. 

He smiled. “I’m the black wizard Zeref, and who are you, Natsu?” 

The question confused him, and he frowned, unable to come up with an answer. 

“I look forward to when you figure it out, Natsu. And when you do, perhaps I’ll give you the answer you desire.” His body began to flicker. 

“Hey! Wait!” He had more questions, he wanted  _ answers! _ Maybe he should hate Zeref, that would make more sense, considering everything, but… But for some reason, hatred for him didn’t feel right. 

But at the same time… Hate was the  _ only _ thing that felt right. He wanted to  _ destroy _ him, to  _ burn _ him, but those feelings also upset him, filled him with a deep sadness that he couldn’t even begin to understand. 

“We’ll meet again soon,” he said, before vanishing. 

“No…” The flow of time began again, but he felt dizzy, the strange feeling in his chest becoming too much. “Zeref…” 

He collapsed. 

_ Come back….  _

* * *

“Honestly, I find it astounding that a place like this even has ventilation,” Laki mused. “Why do you think that is?” 

“I have no idea, but it smells  _ terrible _ in here,” Kinana complained, pressing one of her hands over her mouth and nose. 

Levy sighed. When her day started, she had not expected it to go this way. Deciphering council members’ addresses with Loke, then being magically trapped inside one of Cana’s tarot cards, and now she was crawling through the vents in a demon hideout with Laki and Kinana. Though to be fair, none of them had had any intentions of crawling through the ventilation, but Kinana had panicked and tried shoving them inside when a group of demons had approached them, and they hadn’t had much of an option other than to follow her. 

“The smell  _ is _ getting worse, and the vents are opening up,” Laki observed. “Where do you think they lead—” 

Everything began to shake, an intense wave of magic racing through the air. Kinana shrieked and grabbed onto Levy, burying her face in her chest. 

“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” Levy assured her. “That was Mira’s magic, it’s okay. We must be getting close to her.” 

“She’s right, baby,” Laki said as she twisted around to take Kinana’s hand. “As soon as we find another way out of these vents, I’ll get you somewhere safe, okay?” 

Kinana peaked up at her girlfriend, giving her a small nod. 

Despite the trouble she was causing, Levy did feel sorry for Kinana. She still couldn’t use magic at all, and hadn’t been anywhere near the thick of a battle before. Even in Crocus when they had fought the dragons, she’d hidden inside the entire fight.  _ Of course _ she was terrified in a situation like this. 

“Look.” Levy nudged her and pointed down the tunnel. “There’s some light up ahead, probably an opening. At least then we’ll be out of these stuffy vents, okay? But we need to keep moving.” 

Slowly, Kinana pulled away, and they continued down the tunnel. Laki reached the grate first. “Dammit,” she hissed. 

“What?” Levy pushed past Kinana. “What’s wrong? Can you not get the grate off?” If they had to backtrack back down the ventilation shaft while everyone else was fighting, Levy was going to lose her mind. 

“No, I can easily do that,” Laki said. “That’s not the issue. Look.” She stuck her finger through the holes, pointing towards something. 

Levy pressed closer to the grate, doing her best to catch a glimpse of whatever Laki was pointing at. She looked past all the lab equipment, the dissection tools scattered across the floor, the shattered tubes lining the walls, the blood stains splattered across the entire room. 

She heard a familiar roar, followed by a crash and a scream of pain. “Oh…” Yeah, Laki was right. That could  _ definitely _ be a problem, especially with them trying to get Kinana out of here. “This is where Mira’s fighting.” 

“Yep,” Laki replied, popping the  _ p. _

“There’s probably another way out of this lab,” Levy mused. “It’s why there’s all these ventilation shafts are running through here, I think it's the biggest section of this place, and taking up the most power. Look.” She gestured to the tubes and wires snaking over the walls. “It’s probably to help with the smell, as well as providing power somehow. Besides, whoever Mira is fighting is going to be too preoccupied with her to do anything, even if they do manage to notice us.” 

“The smell is dead bodies, isn’t it?” Laki muttered. 

Levy nodded, fighting through her disgust. How many people had been torn and cut apart in this lab? Just how sick were these demons? “I think we should take our chances, though. It’s either that, or end up lost in these things trying to find our way back.” 

Laki nodded, and began loosening the grate. “Just stay close to us, alright, ‘Nana? We’re gonna get you out of here.” 

“Okay.” Kinana pressed closer to Levy. 

“And Mira will protect us, too, if she sees us, alright?” Laki added. 

“I know,” she said. “I’m sorry, I just—” 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Levy assured her. “You’re a bartender, not a wizard. It makes sense that you’re scared.” 

“Mira’s a bartender,” she said, her tone dejected. 

Another strong wave of Mirajane’s magic washed over them, and out of the corner of her eye, Levy saw her punch the demon into a wall. “Yeah, and Mira can also do that. Don’t beat yourself up about it.” 

“Got it!” Laki pushed the grate out of place, catching it so it didn’t fall and make noise. Slowly, she nudged it aside, allowing them to finally crawl out of the ventilation. “Stay low and quiet,” she warned. 

Levy nodded, and let Laki lead the way as they crept around the lab, keeping close to the wall, and were careful to stay out of the way of the two snarling demons trying to tear each other apart. They moved further into the lab, searching for a way out, and Levy really, really hoped that Mirajane wasn’t fighting for her life in front of the only way out. 

For a moment, Levy wondered if they should try and help her, but quickly decided against it. Mirajane was more than capable of handling herself, and they would probably just get in the way, especially with Kinana with them. 

“This place is so creepy,” Laki whispered, before yelping and jerked backwards into Levy as she accidentally laid her hand on a severed arm resting on an examination table. 

Kinana’s cheeks took on a very concerning green tint, and she grabbed the nearest bucket, throwing up as quietly as she could manage. 

Levy couldn’t blame her at all. Her own stomach was beginning to turn. She glanced around, trying to find somewhere they could hide for a moment to calm themselves down. “There.” She pointed to an overturned examination table. “Get behind there.” 

Laki took the bucket from Kinana, before shoving it away and squeezing her eyes shut. “Oh, there was an eyeball floating in there, it was a bucket full of body parts, oh my god.” 

Kinana retched again. 

“Go, go, go.” Levy pushed them towards the table. They couldn’t afford to be throwing up in plain sight at the moment. 

They scrambled over to the table, prepared to huddle together behind it, but Levy froze, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. Kinana gasped, and Laki grabbed Levy’s shoulder, digging her fingernails into her skin so hard it hurt. 

Gajeel was leaned awkwardly against the table, slumped over in a pool of his own blood. His claws dug into the metal, leaving bloody smears around the gouges. A pair of wings was folded against his back, but even they couldn’t hide the deep cuts slicing through his back, or the scales covering his shoulders and upper back. She couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead, and she felt her heart racing and she fell to her knees next to him. “Gajeel? Gajeel,  _ please.” _

Gently, she unhooked his claws from the metal, and she winced when she realized several of his fingers had been cut into so deeply the bone was exposed. “Don’t be dead,” she whispered, tears beginning to run down her cheeks as she rolled him onto his side. 

He didn’t react at all as she shifted him.  _ “Please,” _ she begged as she grabbed the sides of his face. She pressed her fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse, but she jerked back as she realized his scales had been torn away. “Oh god.  _ God,” _ she choked. She leaned down, pressing her head against his chest, and the relief that coursed through her when she heard his heartbeat left her breathless. “Thank Mavis.” 

“What happened to him?” Laki asked, her eyes wide with horror. 

Levy ignored her. “Gajeel?” She brushed his hair out of his face, doing her best to ignore how matted with blood it was. “Please wake up. I can’t carry you.” 

He groaned, and his eyes flickered open. 

“Hey,” Levy said, doing her best to smile at him. “There we go.” 

“Levy…?” The confusion in his eyes vanished, replaced by fear. “Get away!” he gasped, doing his best to shove her backwards. “Don’t let her touch you!” 

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down,” Levy attempted, trying to hold him down as he struggled to force himself up, but he was slipping in his own blood. “You’re going to hurt yourself worse.” 

“You have to get out of here,” he said, his voice quiet and shaky, and Levy  _ hated _ that. She’d never heard him afraid like that. “She’ll— She can—” 

“I’m  _ not _ going anywhere without you,” she said firmly. “Now, I’m going to help you up, okay? Lean on me and Laki, I don’t want you hurting yourself anymore.” 

Surprisingly, he didn’t try and argue. He forced himself to his feet, and let Levy and Laki support as much of his weight as they could manage. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Laki said. 

* * *

Wendy could sense something change in the air, something deep and unnatural, and she stopped running, leaving Cana and Gray to jerk to a stop beside her. 

“Wendy?” Gray asked. 

“Something’s not right,” she said. “I think— I think they unsealed the Face weapon.” She sniffed at the air. “The magic has shifted.” 

Cana and Gray exchanged a glance. “Perfect,” Cana huffed. “Just— That’s just fucking great.” 

“Charle,” Wendy said. “We can go find the Face.” 

“What?” Charle demanded. “Wendy, what are you expecting to do against something like that!?” 

“I don’t know!” And she didn’t, she really didn’t. But she knew she had to do  _ something. _ “But I can find it, and maybe… I don’t know, maybe there’s a way to stop it.” 

Gray frowned at her. “Natsu and Gajeel wouldn’t want you doing that alone.” 

“They’re not here right now,” she said. 

Gray sighed, but nodded. “Go on, then. If you really think you can find it.” 

Cana patted her head. “Good luck, kid.” 

Wendy held her fists up and nodded. “Right! Charle, let’s go!” 

* * *

Lisanna skidded around a corner, slamming into a wall, but she refused to slow down. She could sense Mirajane’s magic nearby, she was  _ fighting, _ and she probably needed all the help she could get. She tore open the door to some kind of lab, paying no attention as she raced inside. After she got to Mirajane, they could find Elfman together and make sure he was okay. 

She slid to a stop, just before slamming into Levy, Laki, Kinana, and Gajeel. 

“Lisanna!?” Laki yelped. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

She couldn’t help but stare at Gajeel, taking in his sorry state and the massive wings attached to his back, but she shook her head. That wasn’t important at the moment, and it looked like they were taking care of it. “Mira!” she rasped, her voice barely able to be heard by this point. She was definitely going to lose it by the time the day was over. 

The three women pointed deeper into the lab. 

She nodded, and took off in that direction, following the sounds of the struggle. She found her sister pinned, the demon planting her foot on her chest. 

Lisanna leapt before she could even think about it, shifting into her cat form and sinking her claws into the demon’s shoulders. 

She shrieked, and jerked backwards, trying to throw Lisanna off, giving Mirajane the opportunity to lunge upward and drive her fist into the demon’s chest. 

“Thanks, Lisanna,” Mirajane gasped. 

Lisanna leaped off the demon, and settled into a fight stance next to Mirajane. “Of course.” 

Between the both of them, they could take down a demon with no trouble at all. 

* * *

Lucy and Loke leaned against the doorway, with Cana and Gray on the opposite side, listening to the demons talking with the traitorous ex-chairman. 

“Guess that explains why Erza and Mira were here,” Loke muttered darkly. “Bastard must have betrayed them, too.” 

Lucy grimaced as she realized he was right. Not only had the ex-chairman told these demons every detail there was about Face, and offered to activate it for them, he’d also sold Mirajane and Erza out to them. 

Gray and Cana gave a subtle nod towards the door, and Lucy held her breath, preparing herself to follow them into her first real fight against a demon. 

* * *

Gajeel slid down the wall he leaned against, wincing as the cuts on his back were scraped against it. He honestly hadn’t thought he was going to make it out of that lab for a moment there. 

Levy was talking to Laki and Kinana in hushed tones, but he didn’t care enough to listen. All he wanted to do was tear Seilah into little pieces. 

“Good luck,” Levy said, just before Kinana and Laki took off again. 

“Where are they goin’?” he asked. 

Levy sat down next to him. “To join up with the rest of the guild. We’ll follow them after you’ve rested for a minute.” 

“I’m fine,” he insisted. And he was. He was  _ perfectly _ fine. He could ignore the pain, he wanted to  _ fight. _ He  _ had _ to fight. He refused to let himself be powerless like that again. 

“Gajeel…” She shook her head. “What did she do to you?” 

He turned away from her, letting his hair fall into his face. “Just… just cut me up a bit. It’s fine.” He didn’t want to think about it. 

She acted like she was going to take his hand, before she pulled back, and he realized it had been the hand that Seilah had mutilated. “Please don’t lie to me,” she said. 

He glanced at her, expecting to see pity in her eyes, but there wasn’t. Only anger. Anger on  _ his _ behalf. “She wanted to experiment on me…” His wings curled around him, shocking him. He’d almost forgotten they were  _ there. _ He almost hated how natural they felt already. “Guess she got what she wanted.” 

Gently, Levy pulled his wing back, and leaned against him. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fi—” he attempted to say again. 

“No, it’s not,” she said, voice firm. “It  _ is not _ okay.” 

It was like a dam broke. He hadn’t cried a single time since Seilah captured him. He didn’t know if it was because she wouldn’t let him, or if it had been for some other reason. Even the pain hadn’t made him cry. He usually  _ refused _ to let himself cry over things like that. There were always better things to do. 

_ It is not okay.  _

He fell into Levy’s side, burying his face in her shoulder, and sobbed. He was still bleeding, his bones still ached, but that didn’t matter. 

Seilah had trapped him in his own body, hadn’t let him move or speak, as she cut into him, forced him to change. He’d never felt so scared, so violated. 

Levy ran her fingers through his hair, and pressed closer to him. “It’s not okay,” she repeated. “It’s not okay.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Wendy vs Ezel, and I'm very excited for that one!


	52. Beast's Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy faces a demon, and must finally confront something she's been running from her whole life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a completely Wendy-centric chapter! She's one of my favorite characters to write, and this scene was such a big turning point for her in the original story, I really hope I've done her justice and written her well in my version of it

_ “Mama, do you like being a dragon?” Wendy asked.  _

_ Grandine shifted, and Wendy tumbled down from her mother’s shoulder with a squeak, but she quickly recovered, and sat herself between the dragon’s feet, staring up at her with wide eyes, expectantly waiting for her answer.  _

_ “Whatever do you mean, dear?” Grandine asked.  _

_ “Do you like being a dragon?” she repeated.  _

_ “Of course I do,” she answered. “Why would you ask something like that.”  _

_ Wendy shrugged, and began to pick at the hem of her sleeve. “Sometimes it seems lonely. I know we’re all together right now, but I heard Skiadrum say that he’s been alone most of his life, and I wondered if you were, too…”  _

_ “Oh, Wendy.” Grandine ran one of her massive claws through her hair. “If I was ever alone, it was because I chose to be, not because I was a dragon.”  _

_ She hummed. She supposed that made sense. “Okay.”  _

_ “Any other reason you wanted to know?” she questioned.  _

_ “No, not really,” she said, as she grabbed a handful of Grandine’s fur, climbing up her shoulder again to rest on her back. “I think being a dragon would be fun, too…”  _

_ “Oh?”  _

_ “Mmhm.” Wendy laid down between her shoulder blades, shoving her face into her mother’s fur. “Flying would be fun. You’d get to touch the sky.”  _

_ “Maybe you’ll get the chance to someday,” Grandine said, her voice suddenly very sad.  _

_ “Really!?” Wendy rolled over to stare at the sky. The twinkling stars were so pretty tonight. Weisslogia was probably already pointing out new constellations to her brothers somewhere. “That would be so awesome!” She held her hand out, like she could grasp those stars, like she could feel the sky.  _

* * *

In the distance, the Tartaros cube floated menacingly above Magnolia, casting the entire town in its shadow, blocking out every bit of light from the moon and stars. Wind swirled around her, and even from this distance, Wendy could still catch whiffs of demon with each breath. 

She hoped everyone was okay… 

She sighed, and turned away from Magnolia, turning her attention to the Face weapon. It hadn’t been difficult to find. Never mind the way the air shifted around it, she could see the massive structure the second she and Charle had left Tartaros. 

“Wendy, are you sure about this?” Charle asked as she bounded down from her shoulder. “Something doesn’t feel right about this place.” 

“I know,” she agreed. “But we can’t just leave this alone. Everyone else is fighting. We can do this.” 

“If you’re sure,” she sighed, but she followed in Wendy’s footsteps as she approached the Face. 

* * *

_ “Wendy, your magic  _ sucks,” _ Romeo said.  _

_ “W-What?” she squeaked.  _

_ “You know.” He climbed into the seat next to her. “What can you do? Make breezes? That’s so boring! Your brother makes fire!”  _

_ Wendy frowned. She tried not to let the words get to her, she knew Romeo looked up to Natsu, and he was only about seven. But it still hurt to hear. “It’s not boring! My mom said air magic is the best magic!”  _

_ Romeo scoffed. “She was just saying that to make you feel better.”  _

_ “No she didn’t!” she argued, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. “My mom wouldn’t lie to me! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”  _

_ “Are you  _ crying?” _ he teased.  _

_ “I—”  _

_ “Hey, asshole!” Cana leaned over to grab Romeo by his shirt and yank him away. “Stop makin’ little girls cry. I’ll tell your dad, you want me to do that?”  _

_ “No!” Romeo yelped.  _

_ Cana tossed him back to the floor. “Then shut the fuck up.”  _

_ He nodded vigorously. “Yes, Miss Cana!” He scrambled off.  _

_ Cana huffed, and sat down next to her. “Ignore him. He’s a little brat, and his weird-ass dad can’t teach him how to talk to girls properly.”  _

_ Wendy rubbed the tear dripping down her cheek away. “Yeah…”  _

_ “Yeah.” Cana roughly set her hand down on Wendy’s head. “Just tell him to shut up the next time he pulls that shit. Your magic’s cool as hell, alright?”  _

_ “I know.”  _

* * *

The pillar was smooth, cool to the touch, but it just felt like stone. She couldn’t feel anything strange about it. Could this thing really steal all the magic in Fiore? In Ishgar? 

“It just looks like a giant pillar,” Charle said as she propped her paws up on the pillar.

“That’s good,” Wendy said. “That’ll make it easier to destroy.” It would be hard with just the two of them, but Wendy was fairly certain she could destroy the structure eventually. 

The orange timer ticking down did have her concerned, however. Was that how long they had before it was activated? Most likely, so she’d have to be sure to destroy it before then. “Let’s get to work, then.” She took a deep breath, letting the air swirl in her lungs. 

She let her magic build in the palm of her hand, then curled her fingers into a fist. She drove it into the pillar, relishing in the  _ crack _ of the pillar, damage spiderwebbing out from where she hit it. “Oh, this won’t be too hard at al—” 

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she grabbed Charle, and dove to the side as a dark, menacing wave of magic blasted the ground where she’d been standing. 

“What was that?” Charle gasped, twisting in Wendy’s grasp for a better look. 

Dread and fear washed over her as she took in the demon that had managed to sneak up on her while she was distracted. That was a  _ demon. _ A powerful demon! And she had no one around to help her fight. 

She could barely hold herself together during the last demon attack, and she’d had Natsu and Gajeel with her then. “Charle, stay back,” she said as she forced herself to her feet, trying to ignore the thick, smothering presence that demons brought with them. 

“Wendy—” she attempted. 

She shook her head. “No! I’ll handle it!” 

“Oh, you’re so small,” the demon said. “I could eat you in one bite.” 

_ Eat me!?  _ Wendy shuddered as she vaguely remembered that alternate timeline where she was eaten by the dragon, remembered its teeth crunching through her body. She couldn’t let that happen again. 

Air swirled around her as she forced her magic to build around her. “Sky dragon wing attack!” 

The demon didn’t react at all to her attack. He merely scoffed, observing the winds buffeting around his body with disinterest. 

_ Oh no. _ “Sky dragon crushing fa—” 

The demon surged forward, grabbing her by the head before she could finish her spell, and slamming her against the pillar. She heard a  _ crack, _ and the breath was knocked out of her as a sharp pain raced up her spine and into her left shoulder. She gasped, just barely biting back a scream of pain, and she swore she tasted blood on her tongue. Her shoulder cracked again as she slammed into the ground, and the pain grew so intense she worried it had broken. 

“Wendy!” Charle raced over and stood protectively over her, flaring her wings and puffing her fur up. “Stay away from her!” she hissed. 

“Charle…” Wendy reached out for her with shaky fingers, fighting past the pain in her shoulder. “Get away!” 

“No! I’m not leaving you!” the Exceed protested. 

The demon scoffed. “I can’t believe I’m the one who has to deal with the kid and a fucking cat, it’s fucking ridiculous.” He lunged and picked Charle up by the scruff of her neck, shaking her as she yowled and tried to claw him. 

_ “No!”  _ Wendy screamed, forcing herself back up, but the demon merely slammed her back against the Face pillar. 

She shrieked, the world spinning and going dark at the edges as she crumpled back to the ground.  _ Charle, I’m so sorry. _

She was hissing and thrashing in the demon’s grip, but even when she managed to hook her claws into him, he didn’t seem to mind. “Never had cat before,” he mused. “Probably tastes pretty good though.” 

“No,” she whispered, still trying to get up, despite the vertigo and pain. She wasn’t going to die like this, without having helped to save her family. She refused! 

_ I refuse!  _

* * *

_ “Natsu! Natsu, look! The egg hatched!” Wendy squealed as she held the little white kitten up, before hugging her to her chest and bouncing around. “She looks just like Happy, don’t you think?”  _

_ “Please stop shaking me,” the cat requested softly.  _

_ “Oh.” Wendy stopped bouncing. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”  _

_ Natsu leaned down for a better look. “She looks a lot meaner than Happy does,” he observed.  _

_ “I’m not mean!” she hissed.  _

_ Natsu raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry.”  _

_ Wendy sat down on the floor, running her fingers through the cat’s soft fur. “Can I call you Charle? I’ve been thinking about it ever since I found your egg. It’s such a pretty name, isn’t it?” Then she gasped. “Natsu! Natsu, can you go get the bow I made? Please! The big pink one!”  _

_ “A bow?” Charle asked.  _

_ Wendy nodded. “Natsu gave Happy a bandana, so I made you a bow.”  _

_ “I still don’t know what you would have done if she was a boy,” Natsu said as he got up to go find her bow.  _

_ “Boys can wear bows, too!” Wendy argued. “You let Miss Erza put bows in your hair sometimes! And so does Mister Gray!”  _

_ “Cana teases us when she does that,” he said.  _

_ “Miss Cana teases everyone over everything,” she argued. “I like when you wear bows!”  _

_ “What’s a bow?” Charle asked.  _

_ “Oh!” Wendy put her down and clasped her hands together. “They’re so cute, you’ll love it!”  _

* * *

Air settled around her, shoving down against her, thick and heavy. She felt hyper aware of it, she was always more sensitive to the air, but it was different now. She could feel it against her skin, inside her lungs, with more clarity than she had ever been able to before. She knew she needed to get up, but it was so soothing, so warm, that she couldn’t help but let her eyes slip closed. 

_ Wendy. _

Her ear twitched. 

_ Wendy, listen to me.  _

She pressed her face harder against the dirt, trying to tune the voices out, convinced she was hearing things. She’d hit her head, it made sense she was having auditory hallucinations. She was not hearing the voice of magic, there was no way, not again. 

_ Get up. Wendy, you have to get up, _ an  _ achingly  _ familiar voice echoed, one that she was  _ definitely _ imagining. 

_ Feel the air, _ that same voice in the capital whispered.  _ It’s strong, it will help you.  _ I _ will help you. _

Wendy took in a wheezing breath, the air filtering into her lungs and throughout her body. It tasted so rich, so full of magic and power. Was it because of the Face? Even now, was it pulling magic towards itself to destroy, leaving Wendy the scraps? 

Her nails dug into the earth as she took another breath, the strength beginning to return to her limbs. 

Everything around her could be felt with an almost excruciating clarity. Her eyes were still squeezed shut, but she knew where every stone was, could tell where the cracks in the Face weapon were, she could feel the way Charle still struggled in the demon’s grasp. 

Power poured into her body, much like it had in Crocus, when that voice had given her the abilities she needed to fend off that dragon, before she had changed. She reached out for it, wanting it,  _ needing _ that power. 

_ I have to save Charle.  _

Foreign powers flooded through her body, and she began to push herself up, feeling her shoulder  _ snap _ back into its proper place. Her body felt tight, pressure shoving against her from the inside out, like she was simply too little to contain whatever this power might be. 

_ Wendy! _

Her eyes snapped open, but she wasn’t in the cavern. Clouds swirled around her, and stars glittered brightly in the sky. She felt suspended in space, without a single thing around her other than the sky. “Mom?” 

Grandine smiled at her. “It’s been some time, hasn’t it, dear?” Her great tail swept to curl around her feet, disturbing the small galaxy she rested on. Her white fur was as ethereal as ever, glowing in the starlight, giving her the appearance of a spirit. 

“You— You—” Wendy reached out to touch her, but her hand passed right through her intangible form. “Is it really you?” 

“Does it matter?” she asked. 

“I…” She shook her head. “I suppose not.” Whatever this was, even if this _was_ the real Grandine, was still a vision, she could gather that much. Her almost see-through body, surrounded by only the stars and clouds, didn’t leave much up for debate when it came to that. “But what’s going on? I need to get back and save Charle!” 

“You’ve grown so much,” Grandine said, her voice soft. “I’m very proud of you.” 

Wendy blinked, and she suddenly realized how long it had been.  _ It’s been almost nine years since I’ve seen her. Since she’s seen me…  _ “I missed you, mom. I’ve missed you so much!” She wanted to give her a hug, to bury her face in her fur, fall asleep between her shoulder blades again, but she couldn’t do that. Not in a place like this, and not while Charle and her guild were in danger. 

“I know, and I wish we had more time,” she said. 

Wendy nodded. Whether this was real or not, this was the closest she’d ever gotten to having her mother back. Even in dreams, it had never felt this real. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she forced them back. She wouldn’t waste a moment like this crying. 

“Are you going to accept your power?” Grandine asked. 

Wendy looked down at her hands, and curled her fingers. Even now, even here, she could still feel that air and magic flowing through her body. “It’s everything I never wanted, isn’t it?” she asked. “All the dragon that I locked away.” 

“Yes, it is.” 

She held her hands to her chest, unsurprised to have her suspicions confirmed. This power had been here her whole life, but she’d forced it away, hidden it so deeply she’d forgotten about it. In the capital, Magic had nudged it awake, and it’d been clawing at her ever since, wanting out, wanting to be released. 

She’d fought it tooth and nail as a child, and she still was now, but maybe… 

Maybe it was time to accept what she was. 

“What happens if I do?” she asked. 

Grandine sighed, and leaned down to better face her. “You’re so powerful, Wendy, maybe even more powerful than your brothers. If you accept this, you may become the most dragon out of all of them, and you can never go back.” 

She nodded, expecting as much. “Will you be disappointed in me if I embrace it?” Grandine had always told her not to. 

“Of course not, dear,” she said. “I have no right to be disappointed in you for something like that. I merely wanted to let you experience your life as a human for as long as I could.” 

Wendy stared down at her hands, wondering what they would look like with claws and scales. She supposed she wouldn’t have to wait long to find out. “I appreciate it.” Honestly, she had no qualms with what she was about to do. All she’d been doing her whole life was denying her true nature as a dragon slayer, and while she could feel sadness welling up over the loss of her humanity, mostly… she felt excitement. Excitement over finally realizing what she was truly capable of, of finally accepting every part of herself. “But I think it’s time for me to be a dragon.”  _ Like I was always supposed to be. Like Magic wants me to be. _

Grandine nodded. “If that’s what you wish.” She rose back to her full height. “I’ll help you adjust and block the pain the best I can. You have a battle on your hands.” 

Wendy smiled at her, and already she could feel more of her teeth sharpening. “Thanks, Mom. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.” 

“Good luck, dear.” 

* * *

Wendy’s eyes snapped open, and she could see every wisp of air like it was a living, breathing thing. She reached her hand out, feeling the air currents winding with her fingers, before slamming her hand into the ground and pushing herself up. 

Tingling pain raced over her forearms, but she ignored it, even as she saw the sparkling white scales crawling over her skin out of the corner of her eye. 

“Wendy,” Charle gasped, her eyes going wide as she went limp in the demon’s grasp. 

“Let her go,” Wendy said as she got to her feet. Her back split open, and she could feel her bones shifting, but true to Grandine’s word, she barely felt the pain. 

“What the hell?” The demon leaned back, but he still refused to release Charle. 

“I said  _ let her go!”  _ Faster than she had ever moved before, she leapt at the demon, magic curling around her fist as she drove it into the side of his face. 

Charle yelped as she was thrown across the cavern, and the demon tried to make a move for Wendy, but she was already moving, bounding backwards to a safe distance, her magic already converging on her as she readied for another attack. 

She felt new muscles forming in her back, stretching and pulling as a pair of wings attached to her. She heard her fingernails cracking as they grew into claws. Her skin itched as fur and scales raced over her. But she ignored all of it, focusing only on the opponent in front of her. 

The air shifted again, changing with each movement of her enemy, alerting her to his movements before he made them. She shot forward, slashing her claws down his face, using the air currents to dig even deeper gouges. 

The demon shrieked in pain, trying to retaliate with an attack of his own, but his magic glanced harmlessly off her wing instinctively moving to shield her. 

With a wave of her hand, a gust of wind threw the demon backwards, slamming him into the wall of the cavern. He struggled, but the winds kept him pinned. 

No one, not even a demon, could fight against the air itself. 

She took in a deep breath, letting her magic build in her chest. 

“Wendy!” Charle warned. 

“Sky dragon roar!” 

She’d never actually roared before, her spells had always sounded like screams and shouts in the past. And even her growls and snarls had always been tamer, quieter, softer. But this… The noise shocked even her, a shrill, feral thing that she never would have guessed came from her own mouth. 

The entire cavern shook and cracked beneath the weight of the magic, everything crumbling around them. 

The demon was torn to shreds by the sheer force of the magic, leaving nothing behind but bloody chunks of a body. 

Wendy turned, rushing to grab Charle as the stone rained down, trying to shield her with her new wings. 

“Look!” Charle gasped, staring at the Face weapon with wide eyes. 

It was cracking, crumbling with the rest of the stone, her magic still rocketing around the cavern, bouncing off the stone and destroying everything it came into contact with. 

“It’s still not stopping,” Wendy realized, her eyes growing wide with horror. “The countdown’s not stopping!” She dropped Charle, and raced towards the weapon. “The column’s destroyed, I don’t understand!” Her claws dug into her cheeks as she drug her hands down her face. The cavern shuddered, more chunks of the wall coming loose and falling with each second. 

“We have to get out of here!” Charle exclaimed, before grabbing a mouthful of Wendy’s tattered clothes and trying to tug her away. 

“Not without stopping it!” she argued, just before slamming her hands onto the base of the weapon. 

Maybe the Face didn’t have to fall apart to be stopped. Maybe it had to be completely  _ obliterated.  _ “Charle, leave,” she commanded. There was no way the Exceed would survive this. Wendy wasn’t even sure if  _ she _ would survive it. 

Charle’s eyes widened. “No! No, you’re not going to sacrifice yourself!” 

Magic was already building in her palms, swirling around her fingers. “I have to,” she said. “If I don’t, then everyone else dies, and I can’t—” Tears dripped down her face. She couldn’t lose Natsu and Gajeel, or Gray and Erza and Mirajane and Cana and everyone she had grown up with! “I have to save them!” 

_ No matter what it takes. _

Charle laid her paw on top of Wendy’s hand. “I’m not leaving.” 

Wendy felt her bones begin to creak beneath the weight of the magic she summoned. “You don’t have to do this.” 

“I’m not leaving,” Charle repeated. 

Wendy let out a breath, and tucked Charle beneath her wing. It wasn’t much, but it was the best she could do, and she wasn’t going to stop, not while her guild, her  _ family _ was in danger. 

She released her magic, letting it tear through the ground, race through the walls, shattering anything it came into contact with. The earth shuddered beneath her, groaning as her magic tore straight through it. 

Rocks and debris fell on her from above, and she cried out in pain, but still refused to uncover Charle. 

Face began to crumble beneath her fingers, and despite it all, she let out a breath of relief, tears still streaming down her face.  _ I did it.  _

And that was all that mattered. 

_ I did it. _

The ground vanished beneath her, completely destroyed, and the Face pulsed with power, an explosion seconds away from happening. Wendy squeaked and curled tighter around Charle, hugging her to her chest as the world shattered around them. 

_ I’m really going to die here, aren’t I?  _

A rough hand gripped the back of her neck, and she stiffened.  _ Did the demon— _

The entire world went black for a second, and then she was lying on the ground, staring up at the stars, not a bit of destruction around her. 

Charle let out a huff of relief as she tumbled out of Wendy’s arms. 

“What…?” She squinted her eyes, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. 

Mest leaned over her, his mouth set in a grim line. “The hell happened to you, kid?” 

Every bit of tension leaked out of her body as Wendy realized what happened. It was Mest’s  _ teleportation abilities. _ A hysterical laugh bubbled up her throat as it really clicked how close she had been to dying. “I’m alive!” she gasped. “I’m  _ alive!”  _

Mest’s frown deepened as he grabbed her hand and helped her up, and he was  _ very _ careful of the claws tipping her fingers. 

“Wendy…” Charle’s tail tip twitched, and she refused to look her in the eye. “What happened to you?” 

Wendy held her hand to her chest, finally able to relish in the fact that her magic, her  _ body, _ felt settled. Settled in a way that it never had before. 

She could deal with the consequences later, see what she looked like, what had really become of her. 

All that mattered now was that they were alive. They were alive, and… “I’m finally what I was always supposed to be.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gajeel and Natsu: *get horrible, traumatizing, painful, body horror-like events that lead to having dragon characteristics* 
> 
> Wendy: *gets a magical girl transformation* 
> 
> Jk, jk


	53. Takeover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirajane and Lisanna struggle against Seilah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIRA FIGHT! MIRA FIGHT! MIRA FIGHT!

Kyoka’s very being shuddered, a wave of magic flowing through the air, over the very  _ world. _ “Magic,” she gasped, her eyes widening. There shouldn’t be  _ magic! _ Face should be activating! It should have activated, and then they should have been able to slaughter all these fucking fairies while their bodies shut down and they couldn’t defend themselves! “No, no, no, no, that can’t be right!” She fell against the wall. “They couldn’t have—” She sucked in a sharp breath. Had they underestimated them? Had  _ she _ underestimated them? Had they managed to stop Face?

_ Two of them managed to kill Jackal, and Seilah is still fighting one in the lab, Erza managed to… managed to…  _

She clawed her hands down her cheeks, her talons scraping the edges of her helmet. Mard Geer wasn’t going to be pleased with them. They had… They’d… 

_ No! _ She slammed her hand into the wall, crumbling the brick around her claws. “We’re not finished.” 

* * *

Lucy’s whip lashed around the Franmalth’s arm. “Loke!” she gasped. Her heels dug in the ground as the demon dragged her across the ground by her weapon. 

A beam of light shot forward, slamming into the demon’s chest, but it didn’t have the effect Loke was hoping for, and he watched with horror as Franmalth grabbed Lucy’s whip, using it to fling her into the wall, the holographic screens flickering around her body. 

“Lucy!” Cana shouted, and while she was distracted, the demon she struggled against landed a hit, leaving her gasping. 

“Don’t go getting distracted, dumbass!” Gray scolded, before slashing at the demon with a sword made of ice. “Focus, Cana!” 

Loke grit his teeth, tearing his focus away from her. Gray and Cana knew how to work together, fight together. They would be fine, and he had his own opponent to worry about. Lucy would be fine, and so would Cana, as long as Gray was right, and she didn’t let herself get distracted with them. 

If this demon could absorb power like he claimed, all he had to do was overload him. 

He forced himself to go on the offensive again, calling on his power. “Everyone get down!” 

“Oh, shit!” Gray grabbed Cana, throwing her to the ground and covering her with his own body. 

Franmalth cackled. “You really think a light like that could defeat me?”

Loke rarely used his full power, but Franmalth liked to talk, and had revealed he was one of the Nine Demon Gates, the elite of Tartaros, and he needed to be handled swiftly and with no mercy. Regardless of the damage to those around him, he couldn’t hold back. 

His body glowed, his power and light converging and bending around him.  _ One shot, too much for him to absorb. _ Light magic was potent enough on its own, and if he used this much… 

It was more than a Regulus Impact, and his magic grew so thick in the air Loke could almost see it. He was the king of the goddamn Zodiac Spirits, he could handle a single fucking demon! 

Cana yelped, and grabbed for Lucy’s hand, pulling her close and tucking her into her chest, curled against Gray and behind the ice shield he created. 

Franmalth scrambled backwards, blubbering pleas, excuses, anything as Loke’s power continued to rise. 

Loke released the magic, the light and magic raging through the room, burning so brightly it incinerated those in its path. The lesser demons screeched, clawing at their disintegrating bodies as Loke forced his magic further, pushed it harder. 

_ Kill Franmalth, take him out, kill him! If they wipe out magic, I can never see Lucy and Cana again, I can never see  _ Fairy Tail _ again. I have to kill him!  _

“Loke!” Gray warned. His shield was cracking, even as he struggled to hold in place, creating and forced the ice to grow thicker as quickly as he possibly could. 

Franmalth screamed in pain, his body finally crumbling beneath the weight of Loke’s magic, unable to absorb anymore. Light shot out of his skin, burning and searing him. His body exploded with the light, his echoing scream vanishing. 

Loke fell to his knees, letting the magic dissipate, his chest heaving. “Oh… it’s been awhile since I used that much…” 

Gray let his ice shield disappear, and glanced around the demolished control room. “That was a little fucking excessive, don’t you think?” 

“It worked… didn’t it? Bastard’s dead,” he managed to say, before collapsing. 

“Loke!” Lucy exclaimed as she pushed herself up and dashed over, Cana on her heels. “Are you okay!?” 

“Fine,” he forced out, trying to get back up. “Just exhausted a lot of power.” His form began to flicker. “Sorry, but I think that’s all I’ve got for now.” 

“Seriously!?” Cana demanded as she whacked his shoulder. “You pick now to go tapping out?” 

He grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Summon me if you need me, okay? I’ll answer no matter what shape I’m in, magic power or no.” 

She nodded. “Of course. Get some rest, replenish your power.” 

Cana rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky Wendy stopped Face.” 

“She did what?” Lucy gasped. 

Cana raised an eyebrow. “You not feel that wave of magic? That was definitely Wendy, and I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that was her destroying that shit. That little bitch is a fucking  _ beast.” _

Loke let out a breath of relief. He hadn’t even noticed that. “Good.” 

“We’ll be okay,” Lucy assured him. “Go back to the Celestial Spirit Realm.” 

He managed to grin at her, just before being pulled back to his own world. 

* * *

“Lisanna, get Gajeel out of here!” Mirajane requested. It was a miracle that she and Seilah hadn’t killed him, considering he wasn’t even able to move, let alone defend himself at the moment. 

Lisanna shook her head. “Levy, Kinana, and Laki already got him! It’s just us!” Her voice was weak, raspy, but the bruises on her neck didn't make it hard to figure out why. She held her fists up, settling into a fighting stance. “Go all out, Mira!  _ Do it!”  _

Mirajane’s eyes widened. She’d been so engaged with the fight that she hadn’t even  _ noticed _ Levy, Kinana, and Laki were  _ here, _ let alone sneaking Gajeel out. But that wasn’t important. Now that he was out of the way… it was time to put an end to Seilah. 

“Lamy!” Seilah commanded. “Handle the younger one!” 

“Wha—” Lisanna began. 

The smaller demon Mirajane thought she’d killed slammed into Lisanna, even with gore still dripping from the holes in her skull. 

It wasn’t until then that Mirajane realized just how potent this power of Seilah’s was. Even when Gajeel had said he couldn’t move, she never would have thought… Lamy was  _ dying, _ barely clinging to life, and still this demon could force her body to move, force her to obey her every command. 

Seilah grinned. “Lamy, do not stop until every fairy is dead, understand me? You cannot die until then.” 

Lisanna hissed, grappling with Lamy. She slammed the demon into the ground, but Lamy grabbed her wrist, flipping her around, reversing their positions, leaving her on top. “Are you pleased, Mistress Seilah?” she gasped, blood seeping from between her teeth. “Are you pleased?” Lisanna snarled and tried to push back, but Lamy kept her firmly pinned. 

Mirajane stumbled back a pace,  _ horrified _ at what she was seeing. 

Seilah cackled. “Do you like it? Isn’t it amazing what I can do?” She held her arms out. “Curses are unparalleled, no  _ magic _ could combat it! I used this on your brother, your dragon slayer, it doesn’t seem to work on you, but all I need to do is  _ touch _ your sister and—” She reached her hand out, her fingers almost brushing Lisanna. 

_ “No!”  _ Mirajane flared her wings, leapt towards Seilah, and sank her talons into the demon’s chest. Had she really used this curse on Elfman? On Gajeel? Could she really… all she had to do was give them a single command and they could—

_ They could kill someone, _ she realized.  _ All she has to do is command them to do the same as Lamy and then anyone they’re with might die!  _ She grit her teeth. She had to end this quickly, utterly destroy Seilah, rip away her ability to curse people, before it was too late! 

Seilah growled, gripped Mirajane’s wrist, and ripped her claws out of her chest. “I can’t believe you fancy yourself a demon. You’re too  _ weak!  _ You can’t stomach a thing!” Her feral smile returned, twisting her beautiful face into something hideous. “Could you ever do this?” She slammed her hand against her chest, digging her nails into her skin. “I curse myself, I  _ command myself, _ do not lose! Defeat your enemies at all costs!” 

* * *

Lisanna went limp, too shocked by what she was seeing to fight back against Lamy, even as her nails dug into Lisanna’s wrists, and she could feel the demon’s blood dripping into her hair, onto her knees. 

Seilah flipped Mirajane beneath her, planting one foot on her sister’s chest, leaning down to sneer at her. “You thought you could defeat me? A mere imitation, like you!?” She threw her head back, howling with laughter. “I’m one of the Nine Demon Gates, working directly beneath Mard Geer and my Kyoka!” Her body began to twist, her bones crack as she changed. 

Lisanna forced herself to swallow a mouthful of vomit. She was no stranger to changing bodies, but her takeover magic had  _ never _ forced her to go through such an awful change. Her transformations were always smooth, fluid, perfect in every way. Not a bit of pain was felt, the change felt like a good stretch, and nothing more. 

But this… 

Seilah screeched as she clawed at her chest, tearing away her clothes, giving Lisanna and Mirajane the perfect view of the black markings racing over her body, demonic markings, that had previously only covered the bare minimum of her skin before. Her legs cracked and twisted, her horns grew larger, her hands moulded into talons. 

Lisanna renewed her struggles. She had to get up! She had to help Mirajane fight! She was tired of being useless, of everyone protecting her and saving her! It was her turn to return the favor! 

But Lamy refused to let up, and even with her takeover magic, Lisanna was no match for the strength of a demon. 

Mirajane roared, shoving back against Seilah, and slamming the demon into the few remaining tubes lining the walls, shattering them. Wild magic lashed around the lab, demolishing was little of it that was left. 

“Mistress Seilah…” Lamy whimpered. “We can’t come back to life if you destroy the lab…” 

Lisanna grit her teeth.  _ Good. The last thing we need is an enemy capable of reviving themselves.  _

Seilah grabbed Mirajane by the hair, flinging her into the wall, and her sister cried out, her takeover form flickering away as she slid to the ground, her chest heaving as she coughed and hacked. 

Dread raced through Lisanna as she squirmed. Mirajane had been fighting Seilah for how long now? She was bound to be running low on magic, and that evidently didn’t seem to be an issue for  _ curses. _

Seilah stalked towards Mirajane, her dark, smothering power only growing thicker as she approached her. Smirking, happy, no  _ ecstatic, _ all at the thought of killing her sister, of fulfilling the command she had cursed herself with. 

“Mira!” she screamed, _forcing_ her voice to get louder. “Mira, get up! You have to get up!” There was no doubt in her mind that Seilah was going to kill her sister.  _ “Please!”  _

* * *

Mirajane forced herself up on shaky arms.  _ I can’t beat her, _ she realized. There was no way. She’d been on even ground with the demon before, it was anyone’s fight, but now that she had cursed herself… there was simply no way that Mirajane could win this battle. Seilah was going to kill her, and then kill everyone she cared about.

_ Unless…  _ She gasped, the realization coming over her, and she could only hope that it actually worked and she was powerful enough to pull something like that off. 

Seilah stomped her foot down, barely a centimeter away from Mirajane’s head, and she lunged, wrapping her fingers around the demon’s ankle. 

She hissed, jerking backwards. “The hell are you doing!?” 

Mirajane refused to let go, and grabbed on with both hands.  _ Come on, come on, come on. _ She’d never tried using her takeover powers on such a powerful demon before, and certainly not one that was still alive and fighting her.  _ Even if I can’t completely absorb her, just give me enough that I can influence her curse!  _

A sliver of unfamiliar power flooded into her body, and Mirajane gasped, every muscle within her tensing. She’d  _ never _ felt a power as potent as this, not even from the demon she’d absorbed for her strongest takeover form. Her body began to shudder, unable to contain even a  _ fraction _ of this demon’s power. 

_ How strong are they!?  _

Seilah sucked in a sharp breath, and kicked Mirajane away. 

She wheezed, the kick knocking the breath out of her, as she rolled across the lab, debris and scattered dissection tools digging into her body. 

_ “Mira!”  _ Lisanna screamed, her raspy voice cracking. 

“The hell were you trying to do?” Seilah demanded. “Takeover me?  _ Me!?”  _

Mirajane smiled, sensing the knowledge of Seilah’s curse settling within her. “Of course not,” she said. “I’m a lot of things, but overconfident is not one of them.” People often thought she was, but that wasn’t the case. Mirajane was aware of exactly what she was capable of, and what she wasn’t. “I just wanted a little bit.” 

_ Come on, Elfman, _ she commanded.  _ Defeat Seilah.  _

* * *

Cana yelped, and threw down the card that contained Elfman, nullifying the spell as he screamed about how he needed to get to his sisters. 

“The hell are you doing!?” Gray demanded. “I thought you said he was compromised!” 

Her magic flashed, releasing Elfman from the card, leaving him standing right in front of them. He blinked a few times, like he was confused, before taking off down the hallway. 

_ “Well!?” _ Gray snapped, staring after him as he ran. 

Cana shrugged. “Seemed like it was important.” 

“He tried to kill you!” he argued. “You said he tried to kill all of us!” 

Lucy sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Well it’s not like there’s anything for us to do about it now.” 

* * *

“She’s gonna kill her,” Lamy muttered, her voice garbled by blood bubbling up her throat. “She’s gonna kill her, she’s gonna kill her, she’s gonna kill her, she’s gonna kill her!” 

Lisanna thrashed,  _ finally _ able to throw Lamy off while she was distracted, just in time for Elfman to crash through the ceiling of the lab, landing right on top of Seilah. The demon shrieked as she was crushed beneath his weight, the ceiling crumbling down around them. 

_ Mira called him here, _ she realized.  _ She took over Seilah’s curse and called him here!  _

Elfman was already in a takeover form, crushing Seilah beneath him as she struggled, desperately clawing at his arms. 

Lisanna kicked Lamy away, leaving her wheezing and clutching at her chest, before racing over to help her brother. 

Mirajane clawed her way up, using it hunk of rubble as a prop, already lunging for Seilah again. 

Lisanna grabbed her wrist and shook her head. “Let us help you. You’ve always been protecting us. It’s our turn to protect you.” 

Mirajane stared at her, before her eyes fluttered closed, and she collapsed. 

Elfman grabbed Seilah by the hair, and the demon was still struggling, scrabbling, desperately trying to get to Mirajane, screaming and thrashing, trying to follow her own command. “Lisanna!” he shouted.

“Right!” She bounded forward, sinking her claws into Seilah’s shoulders. 

She gasped, stiffening, her wide eyes staring blankly. 

“You never should have hurt our sister,” she hissed, fighting through the pain in her throat, wanting the demon to  _ know _ how angry she was.. 

Seilah thrashed again, and Elfman tightened his hold. 

Lisanna slashed her claws, preparing to tear them through the demon’s throat, but her claws sliced through nothing but air, the demon vanishing within the blink of an eye. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up! My first ever Lucy-centric chapter (I know, I'm just as shocked as you lmao, can you guess what scene?)


	54. Water and Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mard Geer activates the Alegria curse, and Lucy struggles against Tartaros alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was definitely very interesting to write, considering how I tend to avoid writing for Lucy too much. I hope it turned out okay, though!

_ Natsu blinked, staring up at the dragon, his eyes sparking with life for the first time since he had died.  _

_ “This is Igneel,” Zeref said, giving Natsu a small nudge towards the dragon. “He’s going to teach you to read, and talk, and how to use magic. Understand?”  _

_ Igneel leaned down, offering Natsu a toothy grin. “It’s nice to meet you, young man.”  _

_ Natsu had never seen a dragon before, he didn’t think. He hadn’t realized they were so  _ big! _ He reached his hand out, but stopped when Zeref caught his wrist. “Ask first, Natsu. And say hello, please.”  _

_ Don’t touch him? He frowned, but opened his mouth, trying to force his tongue to work, to greet the dragon like his brother wanted, but no words came out, and he whined in frustration.  _

_ Igneel chuckled. “It’s quite alright, Zeref. He doesn’t have to speak yet if he doesn’t want to.” He nudged Natsu with his snout, knocking him backwards a few paces.  _

_ Zeref frowned, but nodded. “Alright then.”  _

_ Natsu reached out again, running his fingers across the scales on the dragon’s nose, marveling in the warmth. “Igneel,” he managed to say. “Hi.”  _

_ Zeref sniffed. “You’re already better at coaching words out of him than me.” Then he sighed and shook his head, before kneeling down to take Natsu’s hand. “I’ll see you soon, okay? Listen to Igneel. We’ll meet again eventually.”  _

_ Natsu cocked his head, confused by his brother’s cryptic words and sad expression, but he couldn’t say that he cared too much about them, so he merely nodded, and turned his attention back to Igneel.  _

_ “Goodbye, Natsu.”  _

* * *

Seilah collapsed, curling into herself as her body convulsed, losing its grip on her true form. Dimly, she was aware of Mard Geer laughing at her, likely having called her to his throne room to punish her, but she was in so much pain, already so humiliated, that she couldn’t say that she cared. She’d lost, to pathetic  _ takeover _ mages. 

Mard Geer’s laughter died away, melting into a snarl. “Look at me Seilah. And Kyoka, I know you’re lurking out there, this involves you, too.” 

Seilah stiffened, jerking around to see Kyoka creep into the throne room, her head bowed, fists clenched. “Kyoka…” 

She fell to her knees next to Seilah, and dared to look up at Mard Geer. 

“Because of you,” Mard Geer began. “There’s fairies invading our home.” 

“But—” Kyoka tried to interrupt. 

_ “Because of you,” _ he repeated. “There is an unnecessary obstacle in our way. Because of  _ your _ curiosity,” he snarled at Seilah, causing her to flinch. “And because of  _ your _ hubris,” he snapped towards Kyoka. 

“But Tempester is the one who nearly killed their members!” Kyoka protested. “It had nothing to do with us!” 

Mard Geer bared his teeth in a snarl. “And you captured them, experimented on them, tortured them, when you could have simply killed them. Seilah, you weren’t even capable of destroying their guildhall.” 

Seilah drug her hands down her face. 

“Not only that, but they have managed to kill Ezel and Franmalth, and without your lab, Seilah, which you managed to destroy, they are gone for good,” he said as he shook his head. “You’ve caused quite the disaster, and because of you, I’m going to have to take drastic measures. Now get to the control room, and help Keyes fix the mess you’ve made.” 

Seilah nodded, forcing herself up on shaky legs, and grabbing Kyoka, sprinting away before Mard Geer actually decided to punish them. 

* * *

“Alright, let’s get you somewhere safe, okay? I need to keep fighting,” Levy said. 

“Huh?” Gajeel lifted his head. “Get me somewhere… I can fight!” he argued, staggering to his feet. “I have to fight!” 

“Gajeel…” Levy took his arm, steadying him. “You can’t use your right hand, you’re losing blood, and those cuts are going to get infected. Besides… Natsu couldn’t even  _ walk _ properly after his wings grew in. You’re going to get yourself killed.” 

He grit his teeth, before wincing, forgetting about his missing tooth and mutilated gums where it used to be. “I—” 

Levy let go of him, and he stumbled, nearly falling backwards. More tears built in his eyes, as he realized he couldn’t even  _ walk _ straight without help. His balance had been fucked to hell, there was no way around it. Levy caught him, careful of the cuts on his back as she pushed him back up. “You promised me you wouldn’t get yourself killed,” she said. “So you’re staying the hell away from this battle.” 

“I—” 

Deep shudders ran through the Cube, and Gajeel fell to his hands and knees. A strange scent flowed through the air, causing his nose to burn.  _ Tissue? And muscle?  _ But the tissue and muscle of  _ what? _ “Levy!” 

She fell to her knees next to him. “Something’s not right. We have to move.” 

He grabbed her, pulled her into his chest as he curled around her, wrapping his wings around them. 

“Gajeel!” she gasped. 

Thick, stringy tissue raced down the hallway, wrapping around them even as they thrashed against it. 

“What is this!?” Levy shrieked, clawing at the material as it crawled over her body. 

More and more of it wrapped around them, Gajeel couldn’t even move the lower half of his body anymore. “Levy….” He held her tighter, and everything went dark. 

* * *

Lucy shrieked as she tumbled down the hallway, slamming against a squishy mound of pulsating material. Groaning, she forced herself up, before squeaking and scrambling backwards, disgusted by whatever the hell this stuff was. “Cana?” she called, glancing around for her girlfriend. “Gray?” They’d been separated when whatever spell that had been was cast, and she couldn’t see them anywhere. 

She forced herself to her feet, shouting for them as loud as she dared, not wanting to alert any demons to her presence. 

But she could admit she was confused. Just where the hell  _ was _ everyone? 

* * *

Mard Geer started, surprised to feel the presence of magic still within the Cube, before smiling. “Oh, that’s interesting.” It was pure, dumb luck that whoever it was had managed to avoid Alegria, though highly unfortunate for them. Alegria honestly would have been a kinder fate. 

He activated his telepathy, being sure to include the human in it. “Attention Tartaros.” 

* * *

Lucy slammed into the wall, tremors wracking her entire body as she covered her mouth with her hands to keep from screaming.  _ I’m the only one left? No, that can’t be right… It can’t be! Cana has to be…  _ Someone _ has to be fine!  _

“They’re hunting me,” she whispered. If she truly was the only one left, it was up to her to save everyone else! She couldn’t just stand here! 

But… But she’d never done anything like this before! She’d always had someone with her! Cana and Loke were always there when she needed them! “But  _ they _ need  _ me _ now,” she muttered, letting her hands fall to her side. “I can’t break down, I can’t give up. There has to be  _ some _ way to break this curse.” 

Liquid sloshed out of the opening beside her, and Lucy yelped, bounding backwards as it rushed out of the hole, quickly filling the hallways. 

“Ew, ew, ew!” she shrieked as it covered her. “Oh, that’s so  _ gross.”  _ It smelled  _ awful, _ what the hell  _ was _ this stuff? Had the cube really been turned into some kind of living thing? It sure looked and smelled like it. This liquid reminded her almost of stomach acid, it definitely had the same acrid scent as vomit and left the same sour taste when it splashed into her mouth, much to her chagrin. 

“There it is!” a voice shouted. “That fucking human!” 

“Oh god.” The greenish liquid was deep enough now she couldn’t touch the floor of the hallway without submerging herself. With few options, she heaved herself onto a floating piece of debris, trying to gain her very precarious balance on it as she grabbed for her whip. 

Thankfully, they were just foot soldiers, not hard at all to handle, even in such a strange situation. She swung her whip, wrapping it around one of their necks, and jerked her arm, slamming him into the other soldiers, leaving them to fall into the liquid and be swept away with the raging current. 

She let out a breath of relief. “That wasn’t too bad. Now I just need to figure out what to actually d—” 

Crazy laughter echoed down the passageway. “There ya are, you little bitch!” 

Jackal stared at her from an overhang, his tail swinging and his ears perked up. “Thought I smelled you!” 

Lucy swung her whip towards him, aiming for his head. She couldn’t afford to hesitate, not against one of Tartaros’s elite. 

Jackal held his forearm up, letting the whip wrap around it, and flashed her a grin. “Boom.” 

Explosions raced down her whip, and Lucy shrieked, dropping the weapon, thankful it was durable enough to not actually explode, even if she had to let go of it. She reached for her keys. “Open, gate of the Maiden! Virgo!” 

Brilliant light blazed, and Virgo appeared on the piece of debris next to her, just in time to block a hit from another demon. She shrieked, and her rabbit ears pinned back. “Is this the opponent you would like me to handle, princess?” Virgo asked. 

Lucy nearly groaned, because she’d intended for Virgo to fight Jackal, but she was going to have to handle Lamy now. “Sure, take care of that one!” She grabbed another key.  _ Loke, I’m sorry, I know you exhausted yourself, but I need you!  _ “Open, gate of the Lion! Leo!” 

Loke appeared on the overhang next to Jackal, knocking him off the ledge and into the liquid before the demon could even notice he was there. 

_ “Dammit!”  _ Jackal sputtered as he fought against the current. “Lamy! Get your ass over here and help me!” 

Lucy risked a glance over, to see Virgo still struggling with Lamy, but given the sorry state the demon was in, with her brains literally spilling out of holes in her skull, Lucy doubted she would last very long against Virgo. 

_ We might actually get out of this, _ she thought. 

“Lucy!” Loke leaned down, catching her hand and heaving her onto the overpass. “The hell is going on?”

She shook her head. “They’re trapped… or something. Everyone is! For some reason I wasn’t, but…” She bent down and unwrapped her whip from where it’d hooked on the overhang after Jackal dropped it. “We have to find some way to free them.” 

Loke’s form was already flickering, but he nodded. “I’ll help Virgo handle these two, you keep going—” 

“Fucking hell, Jackal, I didn’t expect Seilah’s bitch to be able to do anything, but I’d like to think  _ you _ could handle a single human!” 

Lucy stiffened, daring to turn her attention below, and her stomach  _ dropped. _ Another demon was steadily approaching, cutting through the liquid with an ease that neither Lamy nor Jackal had. 

“Fuck  _ off, _ Torafuzar!” Jackal snapped. “You kill the bitch if you’re so confident, asshole!” 

Torafuzar rolled his eyes. “I have no idea why Kyoka and Seilah keep you around.” 

“Lucy, I can’t—” Loke cut himself off and shook his head, eyes wide. “I can’t fight both of them.”  _ I’m not even sure I could handle one, _ went left unsaid, but she picked up on it. 

“I’ll think of something,” she assured him, her hand already inching towards her keys, hopefully slow enough that he wouldn’t realize what she was doing. 

“Don’t push yourself,” Loke said, before leaping into the water, light already building in his palms as he attacked Jackal. 

As soon as he was distracted, Lucy pulled out Aquarius’s key. Using this much power would incapacitate her, possibly even give her lasting damage, but she didn’t have a choice. She was the last one left, and she had to do whatever it took! “Open, gate of the Water-bearer, Aquarius!” 

Immediately, she felt the strain on her body, felt her bones groan beneath the weight of so much magic. Her body was already fatigued from opening two gates, but a  _ third— _

“Lucy!” Loke shouted. “You can’t do that! You can’t—” 

Jackal landed a blow to Loke’s chest, leaving him gasping. “Pay attention to me, you dipshit cat,” he snarled. “Unless you wanna get blown to pieces!” 

Lucy fell to her knees, gasping and holding one hand to her chest as she felt Aquarius’s gate open. 

“The hell are you doing, brat?” Aquarius hissed as she grabbed a handful of Lucy’s hair, yanking her head back so she could look her in the eye. “You trying to get yourself killed now?” 

“Please,” she gasped. “Please, we need help!” 

Aquarius scoffed, but the current slowed, and the water began to swirl around the demons. 

Lamy landed a blow to Virgo’s head, and she gasped, before dissolving into light, just as Jackal gripped Loke’s face, and a brilliant explosion went off. 

_ “Loke!”  _ Lucy screamed. 

He disappeared, and Lucy could only hope that he was okay. 

Aquarius grit her teeth, and focused her water on Torafuzar and Lamy. “You do realize I can’t actually do anything about this spell that has your guild trapped, right?” the spirit asked. “That none of the Zodiac can?” 

Lucy glanced up at her, fighting through her exhaustion. “Then what am I supposed to do?” she practically wailed. 

Torafuzar and Lamy were blasted back down the corridor by a wave, disappearing from sight, but Jackal was still fighting Aquarius’s current, howling about how he couldn’t wait to tear Lucy limb from limb. 

“Summon a stronger spirit,” Aquarius said, like it was perfectly obvious and Lucy was an idiot for not thinking of it sooner. 

“Like who!?” she demanded. There  _ were _ no stronger spirits than the Zodiac! 

“God, how stupid are you?” Aquarius huffed, just as she forced her water to push harder against Jackal. He stumbled for a moment, but wasn’t deterred for long. Lucy figured they only had about a minute before he reached them, and she sure as hell didn’t have the energy to fight him at the moment, and if even  _ Aquarius _ couldn’t fight him—

“You know we have a king, right?” Aquarius pointed out. “Summon him!” 

Lucy blinked. Of course, she hadn’t forgotten the Celestial Spirit King, how could she? But she had no idea he even  _ could _ be summoned, let alone how to do such a thing! “I can’t— I can’t—” 

“Listen up, dumbass!” Aquarius began as she turned her nose up. “We don’t have time for this to go in one ear and out the other, so you better pay real close attention. It  _ is _ possible to summon our king, but you have to break a zodiac’s key to do it.” 

“Break—  _ Break a key!?” _ Lucy shrieked. “If I do that I can’t summon you again! It will be like I’m killing you!” She couldn’t do that to any of her spirits! She  _ refused! _

Aquarius snarled, and whacked the back of Lucy’s head. “It’s either never see one of us again, or let your entire guild  _ die! _ It’s that what you want, you selfish little brat? You’re too cowardly to sacrifice one of us, so you let everyone be  _ slaughtered?” _ She laughed. “I should have known, what, with the type of bratty kid you were.” 

“Aquarius…” Deep down, she knew her spirit was right. The Celestial Spirit King might be the only one strong enough to actually break this curse. She  _ had _ to summon him. “How could I even pick?” she whispered. “How could I ever do that?” 

“Lucky for you, you don’t have to,” she said. “It only works if the trust between spirit and master is especially strong. Stronger than what you have with most of us.” 

The breath caught in Lucy’s throat.  _ No…  _ If she broke his key, could he even come to the living world of his own accord? Not only would  _ she _ never see him again, but she’d be ripping him away from Cana, too. Away from the guild he’d been a part of for years. “I can’t sacrifice Loke!” she screamed. “I can’t do that!” 

“Did I  _ say _ Loke?” Aquarius snapped. “You think I want to listen to that bastard’s whining about how he can’t see his girlfriends for the rest of my life?” 

“Then who—” 

“Break my key,” she said firmly. “Use my key, and summon the king.” 

“Aquarius…” 

“I said we don’t have time for you to argue!” she shouted. “Do it! Do it now! Or this demon is going to blow us both to bits!” 

With shaky fingers, Lucy gripped Aquarius’s key. “I’ll never see you again… I know you don’t care, but I—” 

“I’ve served your family for generations,” Aquarius said, her voice surprisingly soft, even as she struggled to keep Jackal at bay. “I loved your mother with my whole heart. I would have given my life for Layla, had it been possible. Then I got passed on to you… the worst master I’ve ever had.” 

Tears streamed down Lucy’s face, and she took the key in both hands, preparing to snap it in half. 

“You were so clingy, so whiny, so lonely. I hated you,” she said. “I hated your  _ family. _ Every Heartfilia went and got themselves killed, passing me on like I was nothing, all because of some family mandate.” 

Lucy stared at her, and she reached her hand out, half expecting Aquarius to smack it away, but the mermaid took it, her wet, delicate fingers gripping Lucy tightly. 

A tear dripped down Aquarius’s cheek. “God am I ever glad to finally be rid of you fucking Heartfilias.” 

Lucy hesitated.  _ Can I do this? Can I really break her key? _

“Do it!” Aquarius commanded. “Do it now, Lucy! Save your guild! Move on from your past, and live for yourself!” 

Lucy  _ screamed, _ and snapped the key in half. “I summon thee, Celestial Spirit King!” Golden light exploded from the fragments, pooling around Lucy as the magic in the air grew thick. 

“The  _ hell!?” _ Jackal spit. “What the hell are you!?” 

Aquarius’s fingers slipped away. “Good luck, Master…” she whispered, her form fading into golden light for the last time. 

Lucy wailed, so loudly her throat hurt. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, but she couldn’t make herself stop crying, even as she felt a hole tear in the world as the Celestial Spirit King arrived. 

She felt the cube shaking around her, could hear the demons shrieking in fear and awe her, but she didn’t  _ care.  _ She held Aquarius’s broken key so tightly the jagged edges made her hands bleed. Her eyes squeezed closed, and she raised her face to the sky, dimly noting it was visible now, and  _ wailed, _ a heartbroken noise that would have had Jackal mocking her even more if not for the terror he was experiencing. 

The cube shuddered again, shaking so violently she was thrown from the overhang, but she felt nothing as her body hit the ground. 

_ I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.  _

She could feel the power rocketing through the air as the Celestial Spirit King and Tartaros clashed, but she still couldn’t bring herself to watch. She forced her eyes open, only to see Aquarius’s broken key in her palms, slick with her own blood.  _ “I’m sorry!”  _ she screamed to the sky, to the  _ stars.  _ “I’m so sorry!” 

She didn’t deserve to call herself a Celestial Spirit Mage, not when she would sacrifice one of her spirits like that, especially not one that had served her so loyally for so many years. 

Her body shuddered beneath the weight of her tears, her sorrow. Or maybe it was the world shaking as two powerful beings clashed, she couldn’t say that she cared which. 

“You little bitch,” Jackal snarled, managing to pull himself together. “What…  _ did you do!?”  _ He bounded towards her, fire building in his palms, an explosion waiting to happen. 

Lucy just stared at him, waiting for the inevitable blow. She’d done what she’d had to do. The Celestial Spirit King was here, and if even he couldn’t save them, then it didn’t matter if she was alive or dead. Jackal could tear her limb from limb and it wouldn’t make a single goddamn difference in the scheme of things. 

He slammed into a sphere of water, his curse going off in his own face. “What!?” he roared. 

Lucy glanced around, awe in her eyes. “Aquarius?” she dared to ask. 

But there was no response, even as her tattered clothes were replaced by a fresh set, and a marking similar to Aquarius’s symbol was emblazoned across her chest. 

“Fuck you, you little whore!” Jackal howled as he clawed at the shield of water. “You and your stupid-ass fucking fish!” 

Lucy stared at the demon, at the manic expression on his face, at the hatred in his eyes. “It’s your fault,” she whispered. 

She knew it wasn’t, not really, but Jackal was the only one here, and the easiest demon to blame. 

“You took her from me.” 

He bared his teeth. “You gonna do something about it?” 

Her fingers twitched, and she felt for her whip, lying a few paces away. “It’s your fault!” she screamed as she grabbed her whip, lashing it around Jackal’s neck too fast for him to react. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” She pulled the whip taught, and even when Jackal clawed at it, activated his curse and explosions raced down the weapon, she  _ refused _ to let go. Let her hands burn! What did it matter? All she wanted was to see this demon  _ dead! _

Jackal wheezed and tore at the whip, but Lucy only pulled it tighter, and she bared her teeth when his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Even when he collapsed, she refused to let go, only pulling it tighter and tighter and tighter. 

Eventually his body stopped twitching, his chest stopped rising, and without something to distract her, Lucy finally felt the exhaustion, felt the pain that came with magic overuse. 

She fell face forward, collapsing into the rubble and shredded tissue, her whip slipping from her fingers. “I’m sorry, Aquarius…” 

* * *

Mavis stared with wide eyes as she watched the Celestial Spirit King cut through Tartaros’s cube, eventually nullifying the terrible Alegria curse she had felt even from the ground. 

She’d had no idea there was a wizard capable of summoning the Celestial Spirit King in her guild. Perhaps she’d underestimated them, because if Lucy Heartfilia was capable of a display of power such as that… what could everyone else do if they were pushed? 

“Fight,” she whispered. “Fight for your lives and your magic. When you’re done, I’ll be waiting.” 

She’d made up her mind. As soon as this battle, this  _ war _ was over, it was time. 

Time to use Fairy Tail for the reason they had been created. 

* * *

Lucy felt as the Celestial Spirit King returned to his own realm, the very last of her energy disappearing with him, and she could only hope it was enough. 

Someone scoffed. “Did Jackal seriously get taken out by a human with a  _ whip? _ Absolutely fucking pathetic.” 

Lucy tensed, and tried to force herself up, but she couldn’t even get her limbs to move, let alone support her weight. 

_ I’m sorry Cana, Loke… It looks like this might be it. _

She sensed Torafuzar approach, could only stare as it moved to attack her, but his hit was blocked, the attack clanging against iron. 

Lucy gasped. “Gajeel!” 

He swayed dangerously, like he was about to topple over any second, probably thanks to the wings on his back, wherever the hell those had come from, but he bared his teeth, a determined look on his face. “Get the hell out of here, Heartfilia.” 

She managed to shake her head. “I… I can’t get up. I used too much magic…” 

Another demon sauntered over the ridge, followed by another one, and Lucy sucked in sharp breath. There was no way Gajeel could fight all of them! Especially in his condition! New wings, blood pouring down his body… they were doomed! 

“Gajeel, get down!” Juvia shouted as she sprinted towards them. “Water slicer!” 

The dragon slayer just barely managed to avoid Juvia’s attack. Just as her attack landed, a blaze of fire shot down from the sky, followed by Natsu slamming on top of one of the demons from above. “Gajeel, the hell happened to you!?” he demanded, before yelping as the demon managed to throw him off. 

“Talk later, stay focused!” Gray shouted as he climbed over a pile of rubble, turning his focus to the fourth demon approaching. “We need to take them out, and we need to do it fast!” 

Relief coursed through Lucy’s body, and she let her head fall against the dirt. They could win, she knew they could.

Even as the elements swirled around her, Lucy couldn’t keep her eyes open for a second longer, and the world went black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting *very* close to some of my favorite Tartaros scenes. Next chapter we get to see Minerva return, and then after that chapter, the Gray and Silver confrontation!


	55. My Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy discovers the truth about the Faces, and Minerva attacks Erza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My computer stop autocorrecting Mest to Meat challenge

Chaos. This battle was pure, undiluted chaos, and nothing else. It wasn’t unusual for Fairy Tail’s battles to go that way, but this was different, unlike any battle he had ever fought in before. 

Gray couldn’t say that he had any idea  _ what _ was going on. The last thing he remembered was reaching for Cana with that strange, menacing curse springing to life around them, and then nothing. He had no idea how they’d gotten out of that situation, but he figured, considering everything going on, it probably wasn’t a good idea to dwell on the  _ hows _ of things. All he knew was that Lucy was unconscious, lying next to the corpse of a demon with her whip coiled around his neck, and there was a group of demons trying to kill her. 

Granted, Juvia, Natsu, and Gajeel were fighting against them, but Gajeel looked like he was about to keel over any second, which had Juvia  _ and _ Natsu distracted. He almost yelled at them to  _ focus _ again, they couldn’t help Lucy  _ or _ Gajeel if they were gutted by demons, before he got a good look at the demon he’d attacked, leaving him stumbling backwards a pace. 

The fights around him faded to static, and his mouth went dry.  _ No, no, this can’t be right. It’s some kind of trick, some damned curse one of these fucking demons has.  _

“Hey there,” the demon said, and even his  _ voice _ sounded the same. 

Gray shook his head. It’d been  _ years _ since he’d seen his father’s face, he didn’t even have photographs of his family, but he’d never forget it. How  _ could _ he? 

The demon lunged for him, grabbing his wrist. 

_ “Gray!”  _ Natsu shouted. 

The world folded in on itself, flipped around, in that sick way that accompanied teleportation magic, separating him from his friends. 

* * *

Wendy stared at her hands, marveling at the claws tipping her fingers. She curled her fingers, letting them dig into her palms. They were so  _ sharp. _

“Wendy…” Charle padded forward. “Are you okay?” 

She didn’t answer, turning her attention to the cuffs of fluffy white fur around her wrists, and the scales completely coating her forearms, nearly glinting pink when the light hit them just right, before the scales stopped with another cuff of fur wrapping around her elbows. A quick check showed the same pattern on her shins and ankles. Humming, she ran her finger across the scales. They were cool, surprisingly smooth. Just to test them, she tried to sink her claws into them, but nothing happened.  _ So they’re tough. _

“Wendy,” Charle tried again, her voice firmer this time, but still, she ignored her, focusing on her wings now. 

She grabbed one of the appendages, tugging it around her body for a better look. Just like the fur and scales on her arms and legs, they were white, tinted with pink. Unlike Natsu’s wings, they weren’t entirely covered in scales, only portions of them in the middle were, leaving the top edge and bottom half covered in fur. They were so  _ big!  _ But she supposed they had to be, to get her off the ground. 

Next, she ran one hand over her shoulders, feeling the thick layer of shaggy fur coating them, before finally running her hand across her face, digging her fingers into the scales striking up each cheek, but other than that, she only felt skin. A bit of hair fell into her face, and she noticed a few strands were bright pink, wild and a lot fluffier than it had been, starkly contrasting against most of the dark blue locks. 

_ “Wendy!” _ Charle crawled into her lap and pawed at her chest. “Talk to me! What happened?” 

“She’s right, kid,” Mest said as he squatted down to face her. “You have to talk.” 

Wendy let go of the wing, letting both of them fold against her back. It felt so  _ natural. _ “I accepted the dragon part of me.” 

Mest narrowed his eyes, and Charle stared up at her. “But you….” 

Wendy shrugged, and got back to her feet. “I think I was always going to eventually, and I think it was hurting me to try and fight it.” She hadn’t even realized how much energy it took until she  _ wasn’t _ fighting back the instincts anymore. She could admit, the physical changes were a bit of a shock, but she could adjust. “When Magic tried to force along my transformation in the capital, I think this is what was supposed to happen, but even though I told her I wanted it, I was still fighting it. So this didn’t happen until I accepted it.” 

Mest shook his head. “I’m gonna be honest with you, I didn’t understand one bit of that, but that’s not important right now.” He turned his gaze back towards Magnolia. “Why the hell would you try and sacrifice yourself just to stop that Face? You’re lucky I was nearby and felt the magic spiking.” 

“What do you mean?” Wendy demanded. “Because it was going to steal magic! It didn’t matter what happened to me, so long as I stopped it! Everyone will be fine now, we won’t lose magic!” 

Horror danced in Mest’s eyes. “God.  _ God, _ kid, you don’t  _ know?” _ He drug his hand down his face, a crazy laugh building in his throat as he stumbled backwards a step. “There’s  _ thousands _ of those things across Fiore! That was only  _ one.”  _

Wendy felt like she’d just been thrown into a lake of freezing water as his words registered. “No…” She clutched at her head, ignoring the way her claws dug into her scalp. “No, no, no, no, no. That can’t— That can’t be right!” 

Charle fluttered up to rest on Wendy’s shoulder. “Wendy, Wendy, please— It’s alright, you—” 

_ “No!” _ she wailed. “I didn’t do anything, I didn’t help, I—” 

Mest grabbed her hand, forcing it away from her head before she actually hurt herself. “It isn’t your fault, and you need to calm down.” 

Wendy forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. He was right, she needed to calm down. She wouldn’t be able to do anything else to help if she fell apart, out here in the middle of nowhere. It didn’t matter if there were thousands of Face weapons. They would find another way to destroy them, and the Tartaros demons still needed to be defeated. “Mister Mest,” she began. “Please, could you get me back to Magnolia?” 

She could fly if she had to, but his teleportation ability would still be faster, and she was sure she wouldn’t actually be that fast, considering she hadn’t had any practice at all. 

“It’d take a few stops, but I could manage,” Mest said. “But are you sure you’re not just gonna get yourself killed?” 

Wendy glared at him. “I know how to fight, and I’m a dragon slayer. I’ll be  _ fine.” _

Mest sighed, “Fine.” He laid his hand on her shoulder, but hesitated. “Do you… know what happened to Lahar?” 

Gently, Wendy laid her hand on top of his. “Miss Porlyusica is doing everything she can for him.” She decided not to mention that even Porlyusica wasn’t hopeful he would survive, or that thanks to Elfman blowing up the guildhall and Cana’s card spell he was in the middle of a battlefield. Mest didn’t need to know any of that, it would only make him feel worse. 

He let out a shaky breath. “Thank you.” He tightened his grip, and Charle hooked her claws into the tattered remains of Wendy’s clothes. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

Erza gasped, the last bit of tissue melting away from her. “What the hell was that?” Curling and uncurling her fingers, she forced the feeling to return to them. It must have been some kind of curse, but if so, how had it been broken? And who  _ had _ managed to break it? 

She shook her head, it wasn’t like it mattered. She needed to get back to the rest of the guild, and help them defeat this enemy. 

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice purred. “I  _ will _ get the chance to kill you myself.” 

A sword appeared in Erza’s hand on instinct, as she whirled around, coming face to face with Minerva. 

Minerva grinned, prowling closer. Sharpened fangs filled her mouth, and demonic markings crawled over her body. Magic built in her clawed hands, and a pair of horns adorned her head. 

“You let them turn you into a demon,” Erza hissed. She hadn’t thought it was possible for the ex-Sabertooth member to fall any further, and yet… she had managed it. Sting and Rogue had been scouring Fiore for her, ready to forgive her, and yet here she was. Still driven by anger and hatred and spite. 

What a pathetic woman. 

Minerva wasted no time in attacking. She sprung forward, and Erza leaped back, leaving the demon to slam her palm into the ground where she’d previously been, blowing a hole in the ground. “I didn’t let them do anything!” Minerva snarled. “I wanted  _ power, _ and I  _ took _ it!” Her grin stretched wider, the cool calculation she normally wore on her face vanishing, replaced by mania and bloodlust. “I was one of the only ones who survived, you know!” 

“You’re insane!” Erza shouted, springing forward, attempting to slash her sword across Minerva’s abdomen. 

Sparks flew as the demon blocked the strike with her claws. “Who cares?” Minerva crooned. “The only thing I care about is  _ killing you!”  _ She vanished, her territory ability depositing her behind Erza, and she kicked her back, sending her flying forward and crashing into a wall. 

Erza bit back a cry of pain, but quickly forced herself back to her feet, still gripping her sword. This wasn’t a fight she could afford to lose, and like hell she’d let herself fall to the likes of  _ Minerva. _

The demon surged forward, aiming another kick for Erza’s chest, but she gripped her foot, and flung Minerva to the ground. 

She hissed as Erza planted her foot on her chest, keeping her pinned. “I’ll tear you in half, you Faerie bitch!” she spit as she struggled. “I wanted it to be more personal, to tear you apart with my claws, but I’ll use my territory magic if I have to!” She held her hand up, the territory magic building in her palm. 

Erza snarled, and stomped her other foot down on Minerva’s wrist, relishing in the  _ crack _ as the bone snapped in half. 

Minerva shrieked, and her back tried to arch up, but Erza kept her firmly pinned. 

“Fuck you!” the demon forced out through gritted teeth. “Fuck you! I hate you! I hate you!  _ I hate you!” _

Despite the anger she felt towards Minerva, Erza felt a stab of pity for the woman. Reduced to this miserable existence, this self-destructive hatred, all because she lost.  _ Why? _ Why was winning so important to her? Why would she destroy her whole life to try and prove she was better? 

She’d tortured Wendy, had a hand in banishing Yukino, manipulated Sting and Rogue and the entirety of Sabertooth for years, attacked them in Sun Village for no reason. She’d been given many opportunities to stop, even now, Sting and Rogue still wanted her to return, and it  _ enraged _ Erza. Minerva didn’t deserve that! She wasn’t  _ sorry. _ Not for a single thing she’d done. 

Jellal, Meredy, Ultear, they all regretted their past actions, had worked to correct them, but Minerva would never do such a thing, that much was obvious. 

She had become a  _ demon, _ just so she could try and kill Erza. 

Erza raised her sword, right above Minerva’s heart. 

The demon’s enraged screaming morphed into crazy laughter. “Are you going to kill me, Erza? Just like you promised you would, back in that arena?” 

_ No one’s ever survived pissing us off before, and I doubt you’ll fare any better. _

“I gave you a fair warning,” she said. “And still you ignored it. You tortured and murdered and turned on everyone who cared about you. Are you saying you don’t deserve it?” 

Minerva gripped the blade of Erza’s sword, so tightly it cut into her palms, leaving blood to drip down her forearms. “No one deserves anything. I don’t deserve to die, and you don’t deserve to live.” 

Erza scoffed. She really had gone insane, hadn’t she? 

“Kill me, Erza.” 

She nearly dropped her blade, shock flooding through her body. Of all the things she had expected from Minerva, asking for death was definitely not one of them. 

“What are you waiting for!?” Minerva shouted. “I told you to kill me! That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? Why are you hesitating,  _ coward!?”  _

Erza gripped her sword tighter. 

_ “Kill me!”  _

* * *

Pain was all she knew anymore. 

Pain as Seilah twisted her body. Pain as she was used as a plaything for Tartaros.  _ Pain, pain, pain, pain. _

She told herself she didn’t care. All she cared about was killing Erza, destroying Fairy Tail, the guild that had ruined her life and stolen everything from her. 

But now… pinned beneath Erza’s unforgiving blade… 

Minerva grinned up at the Faerie, ignoring the pain in her broken wrist, the lingering aches that accompanied her transformation into a demon. Perhaps it was some sick masochist instinct, developed after years of hating herself, hating her life, or maybe it came hand in hand with becoming a demon. Either way, as she looked up into Erza Scarlet’s gorgeous face, with a sword poised over her heart, she realized she wanted nothing more than for that blade to pierce through her chest. 

“Not going to kill me?” she taunted. “I know you’re not afraid of murder, Erza!” She tightened her grip on the blade, relishing in the pain in her palms. “So why can’t you? Is it because I’m  _ asking? _ How pathetic are you!?” She couldn’t  _ believe _ this. Erza had wanted her dead so badly. Ever since she had hurt Wendy Marvell the entire Fairy Tail guild had been after her head, but for some reason, Erza hated her even more than all the others. 

_ Why? _

“Why?” Erza asked. 

Minerva glared at her.  _ “Now _ you need a reason?” 

“Yes,” she ground out through gritted teeth, still holding the sword over Minerva’s heart. 

Minerva snarled. Even now, she couldn’t be saved from the humiliation. She just wanted to fucking  _ die, _ for this to all be over! Why should she need to explain that to her murderer!? “What reason does there need to be!?” she screamed. “I don’t want to be alive!” 

She thought destroying Fairy Tail would make her feel something, would light some spark inside her, but Fairy Tail was falling to pieces, and she felt  _ nothing. _ Even fighting Erza hadn’t helped, she couldn’t even find the rage and jealousy anymore. 

She let go of the sword, letting her bloody hands fall to the ground, and her head thumped against the ground as she went limp, staring up at the starry sky. “What do I have to live for?” she whispered. 

Her guild didn’t want her, or hell, even if they did, once they saw she had become a demon, they would leave her in the dust. Her father was dead, but the only reason she would even want him alive would be to kill him herself. She had  _ nothing. _

“As you wish, Minerva.” Erza raised her sword. 

Minerva closed her eyes, waiting on the inevitable strike. 

“My lady!” 

Her eyes snapped open, just in time to see Erza’s sword plunging down, only to be blocked by another blade with a metallic  _ clang! _

“Rogue,” she gasped. 

* * *

Erza blinked, before falling backwards, staring at Rogue with wide eyes as he appeared out of a shadow, his katana drawn. 

She’d never actually seen him use the sword he carried, but he had enough experience to block one of her strikes, so obviously he knew his way around the weapon. 

His chest heaved, and he fell to his knees next to Minerva. “I made it.” His eyes lit up. “I made it!” Laughter echoed as he fell forward onto his hands and knees. “We can stop it! This proves it! We can stop everything!” He grabbed Minerva’s hand, who was staring at him with just as much shock and confusion as Erza. “My lady, I did it!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I am so ready to write the Gray and Silver confrontation!


	56. Bloody Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray fights against Silver

Ice and cold. Cold and ice. It was all Gray had known his whole life. Even before Ur had trained him, his village had been out in the mountains, with winters colder than anywhere else in Fiore, and summers weren’t much warmer. The cold was a part of him, it always had been. Sometimes he wondered, even if Ur hadn’t found him that day, if he might have learned ice magic on his own. It was so natural, so fitting. It was  _ comforting.  _ Ice and cold was  _ everything _ to him. 

But now, standing in the ruins of Tartaros’s home, alone on the battlefield, facing a demon that wore his father’s face, he’d never hated the frost sinking into his bones more. 

His father wasn’t supposed to be  _ cold, _ there wasn’t supposed to be ice magic springing from his fingertips. His father had always been warm, so warm. Welcoming him in from playing out in the snow and freezing weather, helping his mother make soft clothes, wrapping him in blankets when he woke up shaking because the fire had faded in their sleep. 

“Who are you?” Gray asked, forcing his voice to stay steady, calm. He refused to break in this  _ demon’s _ presence. 

“Really, Gray?” the demon asked, flashing a smug smile as he took a step closer. “I know it’s been a long time, almost twenty years, huh? But I really didn’t think you’d forget me so easily.” 

“No!” Gray shook his head, already shifting into his ice-make stance. “My dad wasn’t a demon! He wasn’t—” He cut himself off, his eyes widening, as he remembered screaming the same thing about himself. 

_ I’m not a demon!  _

He stumbled back a step, staring down at the black marking on his hand.  _ It runs in my family, on my father’s side.  _

The only reason Gray himself wasn’t a full fledged demon was because Juvia had bonded herself to him, they had forced the curse in his blood to stop spreading. So was it possible… 

“I saw… you  _ die,” _ Gray said. “I saw your corpse!” Even  _ if _ his father had become a demon, he had still  _ died. _ The scar running down the demon’s face was in the exact spot as his father’s fatal wound. “You can’t be him! Silver, my  _ father, _ is  _ dead!” _

The demon threw his head back and howled with laughter. “You should see your face! You want to believe the words coming out of your mouth, don’t you?” He leaned forward, that horrific grin never leaving his face. “You want to believe so badly that your dear old dad would never let himself become a demon, that he would never join Tartaros, that he really  _ did _ die all those years ago. Well…” The smile melted into a snarl. “I suppose I do have some good news for you. I may not be your father, but I am someone you have known for a  _ long _ time.” 

Gray’s mouth went dry, what little certainty he had vanishing. As much as he didn’t want this to be his father, if he  _ wasn’t _ his father… then who…? 

“You’ve been a part of my life since the day I didn’t kill you,” the demon said. “I killed everyone in that backwater village, except one damn kid, who managed to cause me the most trouble out of anything alive.” 

_ No, no, no, no. _ Gray clutched at his upper arms, taking unsteady steps backwards. “You can’t be…” he whispered. He was supposed to be dead, too! Every possible answer for who this may be was someone Gray had seen  _ die!  _ “Ur killed you. Ur  _ killed you!”  _ She had to have killed him, because if she hadn’t, then that meant she had died for  _ nothing! _

“Figured it out, eh?” The demon stepped towards him, but Gray found himself frozen, unable to move, staring with wide eyes as he figured it out, as much as he tried to hide from the truth. 

“Deliora,” Gray breathed. 

The demon’s grin widened. 

Gray never thought he would ever see the demon again. But then again, he’d also thought that back on Galuna Island, but Deliora had come back then, too, like a damn cockroach. But this just didn’t make sense! “Ur’s ice destroyed you.” 

“Sure did,” he said. “But Seilah’s got this nice little lab that can bring us back from nothing. And well… it helps when you have a corpse to possess.” He examined his hands, like they were the most fascinating thing in the world. “Never thought about it when I took this one, but it’s kind of ironic, isn’t it,  _ Gray? _ Can you really kill me when I look like this?” 

Ice exploded between them, springing up from the ground in jagged spikes. Gray hadn’t even realized he was calling on his magic until the ice appeared. His chest heaved, and he held his hands out. “You think looking like a dead family member will stop me?” he forced out through gritted teeth. “You’re severely underestimating how much I  _ hate _ you. My dad is  _ dead, _ and that’s a fact.” Frost floated through the air, escaping him with every breath, as the ice built in his lungs. “And you’re next.” 

“Oh?” The demon looked far too pleased with that statement, that manic look never leaving his eyes as he examined the ice surrounded them. “Let’s see if you can actually manage it.” 

Gray jumped backwards, trying to put as much distance between them as possible before attacking. He knew first hand how Deliora liked to play with his victims, and he couldn’t let himself get pinned down. Some nights he could still feel the phantom pains of Deliora’s talons sinking into his chest. 

He flung an attack towards the demon, more ice spiking up from the ground as he launched daggers of ice through the air. 

Deliora threw his hand out, dissolving the daggers before they could do any damage, easily dodging the ice on the ground. 

_ The hell?  _ Since when had Deliora been able to negate ice magic!? If he could, why had he lost to Ur? 

“The second I was free of that ice, I vowed that I would never fall to something as pathetic as an ice wizard again,” Deliora said. “Ice magic really is easy to learn.” He began to laugh. “Especially when you’re possessing the dead body of an ice demon!” 

Gray rushed forward. “My dad wasn’t a demon!” His dad was  _ human. _ He’d died a  _ human, _ nothing else! 

Purple tinted ice, all too similar to Gray’s own after his slayer abilities began to develop, sprang to life between them, leaving Gray scrambling backwards to keep from being impaled. 

Deliora ripped one of his gloves off, holding up his hand to reveal ugly, black splotches marring the skin. “This look like something that belongs on a human?” 

“No…” Gray whimpered. Had his family’s cursed blood, his  _ father’s _ cursed blood, really lured Deliora to their village all those years ago? Was it their fault that so many people had died? Even after his own transformation had begun, Gray had told himself that his father had never gone through this, that he’d died with his humanity intact, unknowing of the dark curse that had been haunting their family for generations. 

But those black spots confirmed it. His father had succumbed to their demonic blood. 

_ “No!”  _ Ice forced its way out of his lungs, scraping the inside of his throat, and his eyes widened as he felt the breath attack forming, just as unusual and unpleasant as the first one had been. He coughed, and clawed at his throat, wincing as the ice forced its way up. 

The attack exploded, wild and uncontrollable. Gray had  _ no idea _ how the other slayers could control their attacks with the precision that they managed. 

Shock flitted over Deliora’s features, but it quickly faded, and he nimbly avoided the attack. 

Gray clapped his hands over his mouth.  _ Not now, _ he told himself. He couldn’t afford his slayer abilities to act up during a fight like this. Their unpredictability was going to get him  _ killed, _ all he needed was his ice make magic. 

But maybe he  _ should _ have taken Natsu up on that offer of teaching him to better control his new abilities… 

“You’re not the only one with slayer abilities, though,” Deliora said, snapping Gray’s attention back to the fight. 

Dread pooled in Gray’s stomach as he watched Deliora  _ eat his ice. _ “Oh god,” he muttered. He’d  _ seen _ how well wizards pit against slayers that could consume their magic had done. How many fire wizards had Natsu completely  _ obliterated?  _ He was  _ fucked.  _ Maybe if he could control his own slayer abilities he could handle it, but he had  _ no idea _ how to even begin to make those powers obey him. 

Walls of ice sprung up from the ground, surrounding him, backing him into corners and giving him nowhere to run and little ability to maneuver and counter attack. 

Deliora lunged for him, grabbing Gray by the hair before he could react, and slamming him against one of the ice walls so hard it shattered. Gray gasped, the breath knocked out of him. Wheezing, he stared up at the sky, shattered ice biting into his skin. 

_ Was I always supposed to be killed by him, too? Just like my family? Like Ur? Was I only living on borrowed time?  _

The universe sure had a sick sense of humor. He might have laughed, if Deliora hadn’t taken the opportunity to kick him hard enough he was pretty sure he felt his ribs crack. He cried out, curling in on himself. 

_ Come on, think. No ice, what can I do?  _ He couldn’t just lay here and take it, he was going to get himself killed. It reminded him all too much of Sun Village, helplessly waiting on a demon to kill him. 

“Come on!” Deliora shouted, kicking at him again. “I thought you would be better than this! This is pathetic!” 

Coughs racked through him, but Gray forced himself up, looking around for  _ anything _ he could use as a makeshift weapon. He was good at hand to hand, decent with most weaponry, but there was  _ nothing. _ Nothing but rubble. Short of bashing Deliora upside the head with broken bricks, there wasn’t much for him to do. 

Unless… 

Gray bit his lip, scolding himself for even  _ considering _ it as an option, but it was all he could think of… it was all he could do… 

Even  _ Ur _ couldn’t think of another way to defeat this demon, and Gray  _ knew _ he wasn’t as powerful as her. 

_ Erza, Natsu… I’m sorry.  _ But he had to defeat Deliora, no matter what it took. He was  _ meant _ for that, and he would not allow his father’s body to be used like this any longer. 

Fighting through the pain from his ribs, that he was pretty sure had been broken, he crossed his arms in front of him, taking the same stance Ur had, just before she died. “Go to hell,” he snarled, before calling on his magic. 

Deliora’s eyes widened as he took a step back. “H-Hey… What are you doing?” His voice was shaky, alarmed, and Gray couldn’t help but smirk. 

“Remember this spell?” he taunted. “Lyon may have fucked it up last time, but I doubt you’ll get that lucky again!” Power swirled around him, and he felt cold biting into his fingertips. 

It really was fitting, dying this way, becoming ice, following in Ur’s footsteps, all to finally,  _ finally _ bring an end to Deliora. 

Erza and Natsu would be distraught, but they would understand, eventually… wouldn’t they? They would move on, and at least this way… at least this way, they wouldn’t ever have to kill him themselves. He  _ wasn't _ going to outlive Juvia, and he would never become that monster again, all if he died now. 

He felt nothing for what he was about to do. His  _ life _ meant nothing. All he cared about was putting an end to that damn demon, regardless of the consequences. Erza, Natsu, Juvia, the entire guild, they would move on. They  _ would, _ they would all get out of this battle, and they would be fine. 

“That won’t work on me!” Deliora shouted. “I’m immune to ice! Why do you think I learned that magic!?” 

“Really? Well let’s see then!” Numbness spread through Gray’s chest, and he could feel frost sinking into his skin. His magic power continued to rise, and he was going to do it. He would cast Iced Shell, and this nightmare would  _ finally _ come to end, like it should have all of those years ago. 

_ “No!”  _ Deliora exclaimed, lunging for him. “No, you can’t! This isn’t what I wanted!” His voice took on a panicked edge as he grabbed Gray’s hand. “Stop!” 

He jerked backwards. “Let go of me!” He was going to do this, he  _ had _ to do this, even if certain things weren’t making sense. Even as he thought of Erza and Natsu and felt so  _ guilty _ about leaving them, after promising them that he would do whatever he could to not die on them. 

Deliora didn’t move to attack him again, even though he was so close, it would be so easy. The demon’s eyes filled with tears. “Please, Gray… please don’t throw your life away for this.” 

It all came crashing down. This wasn’t Deliora. Deliora was dead, and had been for years. This was his  _ father.  _ His father, begging him not to die. 

Gray fell to his knees, a ragged scream escaping him as he abandoned the Iced Shell spell for a second time in his life, the excess magic power building within him exploded, covering the entire area in layers of ice. “Why?” he whispered, staring up at his father with wide, tear filled eyes. “Why would you lie? You… you’re my dad. My  _ dad.” _

_ He’s not dead, he’s standing right in front of me.  _ He reached out, like he wanted to touch him, but pulled his hand back at the last second. 

“I’m not anything,” Silver said, looking away. “I’m nothing but an old corpse.” 

“I saw you  _ die,” _ Gray choked. 

Silver nodded. “Yeah, and I’m sorry about that.” With a heavy sigh, he collapsed to his knees in front of Gray, his head bowed. “Tartaros has a necromancer, and Seilah was morbidly interested in our family. I  _ am _ dead, they just brought me back.” 

Gray didn’t care. He didn’t care about that at  _ all. _ His father was right in front of him, and that was all that mattered. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around his father, a quiet sob escaping him. “I’ve missed you and Mom so much!” 

Silver hugged him back, gently petting the back of his hair. “I’m sorry, son. If I had known… If I’d known you were alive, I would have tried to find you a long time ago.” 

“It’s fine,” Gray gasped. “It’s okay. I-I-I’ve had a lot of people to help take care of me.” 

“Ur and those Fairy Tail wizards, huh?” 

Gray nodded. “Yeah.” He still didn’t let go, like he was afraid his father would fade the second he did. “Why would you tell me you were Deliora?” He didn’t  _ understand. _

“I need to die, Gray,” Silver said, his voice quiet and sad. “I thought it would be easier for you if I was someone you hated instead.” 

Gray clutched onto him tighter. “But why… Why did I have to kill you?” 

Silver pulled back, staring at him for a moment, before softly brushing his thumb across the sliver of black slicing up Gray’s face. “I’m sorry that this happened to you. When I… when it started affecting me, I had hoped you hadn’t inherited this.” 

“Yeah.” Gray forced himself to laugh. “Some random ancestor just had to sleep with a demon, huh?” 

Silver chuckled and ruffled Gray’s hair. “You’re too young to be joking like that.” 

“I’m twenty years old!” he argued. 

“Yeah…” Silver suddenly looked very sad. “You are, aren’t you? I’ve missed so much.” 

“Dad…” 

Silver shook his head. “So you’re a guild wizard, huh? You always were an adventurous kid. Though Fairy Tail seems like a bit much.” He grinned. 

Gray wiped away the stray tears dripping down his face. He knew there was a war going on, he knew there was something his father wasn’t telling him, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He just wanted to  _ talk _ to him. “They’re not so bad. I guess they  _ might _ be a bit over the top for yours and Mom’s tastes.” 

Silver laughed. “I’m not sure I’d say  _ that. _ Though from what I’ve seen, they are lively.” 

Gray smiled, already daydreaming about introducing his father to Natsu and Erza, to Juvia, to  _ everyone. _ He could show him his new family, everyone who was important to him. “I can introduce you—” 

Silver’s expression fell. “No, Gray, you can’t.” 

Gray’s smile faded. “What?” 

“I’m going to die on this battlefield tonight, and you’re going to be the one to kill me,” he said. 

Gray jumped to his feet. “No! No, I won’t— Why would I  _ do _ that!?” He wouldn’t kill his father, he  _ couldn’t. _ Why would he ever do that? Not when he finally had him back! 

“I’m sorry, son. But you have to. After I froze Sun Village, Kyoka and Keyes, the necromancer, grew suspicious of me.” He sighed. “I’ve been working against them ever since I was resurrected. Subtly, of course, and I planned to eventually kill them all, even if it destroyed me. But they’d caught on, and Sun Village was the nail in the coffin. They couldn’t prove it, but… it was enough, and Keyes tightened his leash.” 

Gray didn’t care that his father was responsible for Sun Village, he didn’t care about  _ any _ of that. “Then I’ll kill Keyes!” he exclaimed. “If he has some kind of control over you, that will end it, right?” 

“I suppose that would work, too.” Silver shook his head. “But you can’t take too long. Even now, I’m fighting against what he commanded me to do, but eventually… I will follow his orders.” 

“Wh-What do you mean, that will work too?” he demanded, but as soon as the words left his mouth, it clicked. “If I kill the necromancer, you die, too.” He fell backwards, desperately trying to come up with a solution that wouldn’t end with his father dead. 

“I’m already dead. It’s just time for me to finally rest,” Silver said, nothing but calm acceptance in his voice. “I’m just glad I got to see you one more time, that you’re alive, and happy.” 

“I don’t want to lose you again,” Gray whimpered, tears building in his eyes again. “I just got you back, I don’t want to— I can’t—” 

“Gray,” Silver interrupted, giving him a cool, calculating glare. “Do you know what Keyes ordered me to do?” 

With little else to do, Gray shook his head. 

“They know how you’ve bonded yourself to the Lockser girl.” 

Ice raced down Gray’s spine. 

“Keyes wants this battlefield as chaotic as possible, and Seilah wants to know what will happen,” he continued. 

“No…” Gray whispered. 

“They know what will happen if she dies, and demons are cruel.” He let out a bitter laugh. “They thought there was nothing more amusing than forcing me to rip my son’s humanity away from him and turn him into the very thing I hated.” 

The world was melting around him, and Gray wanted nothing more than for this to stop, for his father to shut up and never mention this again and for that necromancer’s control over him to completely vanish. “Stop,” he begged. 

“Kill me,” Silver said. “Or I will kill Juvia.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gray I'm so sorry, but I'm about to be an absolute bitch to you


	57. Gray's Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray struggles with making the decision to kill his father, and Juvia faces Keyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... actually got a little bit emotional writing this so like... wow. That... doesn't happen. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter

Juvia struggled to focus on her fight. She couldn’t afford to get distracted while facing a Tartaros demon, but it was taking everything in her not to rush to Gajeel’s side. He wasn’t going to last much longer with those injuries and changes. She wanted to make sure he was okay, get him somewhere safe, but she couldn’t do that until the demon she was facing was defeated. 

She risked another glance towards the dragon slayer, wincing as the demon he fought managed to land a hit on him, before the breath was knocked out of her as her own opponent took advantage of her distraction, slamming her into a half standing wall, brick and debris crumbling around her. 

“Juvia!” someone shouted, though she couldn’t tell if it was Gajeel or Natsu through the ringing in her ears. Her entire body ached as she tried to force herself up, trying to blink away the black spots encroaching on the edges of her vision. 

The demon leaned down, his bony fingers digging into her hair and scraping against her scalp as he lifted her by her hair. “What a pathetic excuse of a Lockser. I can’t say that any of your family members were exceptionally formidable, but you’re certainly the worst I’ve encountered.” He grinned, the stitches on his mouth stretching. “If you’ve really bonded yourself to the Fullbuster, it will be incredibly easy to force out his demon side.” 

Juvia thrashed in the demon’s grip, before turning her body to water and slipping out of his grasp. She  _ would not _ be defeated so easily, and she would make this demon regret talking about her family in such a way. 

Though she could admit, she wasn’t sure how she was going to defeat him. She couldn’t even rely on her drowning tactics, considering he seemed to be made of  _ bones, _ but she raised her fists, desperately trying to find a weak point on the demon. 

_ Hey, Miss Lockser. _

Juvia stiffened, before glancing around, searching for the voice she  _ knew _ she had heard, but she saw nothing except Natsu and Gajeel struggling against their own opponents. 

The demon attacked again, and she bounded out of the way, narrowly avoiding the strike. 

_ I’ll try and make this quick, young lady, _ the voice said, and Juvia was  _ positive _ it was coming from inside her own head now. Was it some kind of telepathy magic? It  _ must _ be. 

_ That necromancer you’re fighting is named Keyes, _ he continued.  _ You kill him, and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to stop the Faces from activating.  _

Juvia frowned, diving to the ground to avoid another strike from Keyes. “Why should I believe you?” she muttered, keeping her voice low, not wanting to tip off the necromancer that she was communicating with someone. 

_ Fair enough, I guess, _ the voice said.  _ But you have to defeat him either way, don’t you? Figured I’d give you some more incentive.  _ Then he sighed.  _ I know you’re close with my son. Do it for Gray’s sake, alright?  _

Juvia went rigid, shock flooding through her entire body. 

That didn’t make any sense! Gray’s family was dead! Unless… Unless this so-called necromancer… 

While she was distracted, Keyes’s power dug into her skin, and she bit down on her lip to keep from screaming, writhing and twisting to escape it. 

_ Whatever. _ She forced herself to steady, calling on her magic for a counterattack.  _ Whoever that may be, he’s right. Either way, this demon has to die, and if his death really does mean the end of the Face plan, that’s all the more reason to kill him.  _

She could figure out who that was later, as well as his apparent connection to Gray. 

* * *

“I—I still can’t—” Gray choked, trying to force back a sob. Even if his father was supposed to kill Juvia, that still didn’t mean… he couldn’t… 

“Gray, it’s not just for that girl’s sake. It’s for  _ yours,” _ Silver said, his voice leaving no room for arguments. “When she dies, you lose yourself, I know how it works. If I was able, I’d kill myself just to stop that, but Keyes won’t allow something like that.” 

“But I just got you back!” Gray shouted. “I won’t—” 

“No you didn’t!” Silver snapped. “I died almost twenty years ago! I’m just asking to finally get put in the ground!” He hung his head, a shaky sigh escaping him. “You haven’t  _ gotten me back.  _ That’s  _ not _ what this is.” 

Gray pulled his knees to his chest, before pressing his forehead against them. “I still can’t,” he whispered. 

“Gray, if you don’t, it’s possible  _ you _ will cause the most carnage out of any demon here,” Silver said. “How many of your own friends and allies might you kill?” 

Gray stiffened, realization washing over him in an icy wave. “Rogue blamed me.” 

“Rogue?” Silver asked, narrowing his eyes in confusion. 

“My friend’s brother,” Gray said as he raised his head. “There… there was this alternate future, where he killed us all, because everyone he cared about was dead, because I—  _ I _ was the one who killed them.” Except it  _ wasn’t _ an alternate future, was it? As soon as Natsu had told him that Rogue held Gray partially responsible for his descent into the shadows, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots and figure out it happened because Juvia had died and Gray lost himself to his demonic blood.

_ This is when it happens.  _ Gray stared at his father, as he tried desperately not to cry.  _ I refused to kill my dad, and then he killed Juvia, and I ruined everything. It’s  _ my _ fault that future happens.  _

But that future  _ didn’t _ have to happen. They’d been given a warning, just enough clues to prevent that apocalyptic timeline. 

All Gray had to do to stop it, was kill his father. 

“Gray?” Silver leaned forward, concern evident in his features. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but we can’t wait too much longer.” 

“It was my fault,” he muttered, dragging his hand down his face. “It was all my fault.” Destroying Rogue, everyone’s deaths, the battle in the capital. 

Ultear’s sacrifice… 

It was all because of  _ him, _ because he was too weak to end his father’s suffering. 

He couldn’t make that mistake again. He  _ couldn’t. _ But that meant… 

Gray forced himself to his feet, trying to quell the tremors in his hands. He had no choice. It wasn’t just Juvia, his father, and himself on the line. It was  _ everyone. _ He didn’t have the luxury of refusing to do this. “I’ll do it,” he forced out, voice hollow and broken. “I’ll kill you.” 

_ I don’t have a choice.  _

The utter relief in Silver’s gaze was almost enough to ease Gray’s guilt over murdering his own father.  _ Almost. _ “Thank you,” his father whispered.  _ “Thank you.”  _

“Yeah,” Gray sobbed, ignoring the tears freezing against his skin as he called on his magic. “Ice make: dagger.” 

The little blade appeared in his hand, as pristine and delicate as his magic always was. 

Just as cold. 

His father pulled him into another hug, carding his fingers through Gray’s hair. “Live a good life, okay? Take good care of those friends of yours.” 

Gray clutched the knife so tightly his fingers ached. “Can you tell Mom I miss her?” he asked. 

“Yeah.” Silver held him tighter. “Of course.” 

“I’ll finish what you started,” Gray said, squeezing his eyes shut. “I’ll kill all of Tartaros, and Zeref and END are next.” He would be the last demon in Ishgar, he swore it. He wasn’t going to let  _ anyone else _ suffer like his family had at the hands of monsters like that. 

“If you’re really going to go after END, you better perfect those slayer abilities, you’ll need them,” Silver said. “I’ll give you what knowledge I can of them, but you’ll need to practice. He’s a fire demon, so you might be the only one capable of defeating him anyways.” 

Gray nodded, vowing to put an end to that demon, using his father’s and Ur’s abilities. 

“Now do it,” Silver urged. “Before you lose your edge.” 

Forcing back another sob, Gray backed out of his father’s hold, and pressed the knife against his chest, just above his heart. 

“I better not see you for a long time, understand me?” Silver warned. “For my sake and your mother’s, for those friends you care about so much.” He placed his hand over Gray’s, forcing him to grip the dagger even tighter.  _ “Live.”  _

“I promise,” Gray sobbed, before shoving the dagger into his father’s heart. 

* * *

It was like her water had no effect on this enemy. Keyes brushed off every single one of her attacks like it was nothing. Her slicers couldn’t cut through his bones, through his body, her waves and whirlpools accomplished nothing. 

But what had her confused, was the fact that Keyes  _ wasn’t _ killing her. He’d had plenty of opportunities now, but he kept sparing her, letting her get back up and attempt more futile attacks. 

_ Why? _ She was worth nothing to these demons, and surely they hated her because of her family’s past. What could he possibly be gaining by toying with her? He didn’t even seem like he was having  _ fun _ with her. 

Juvia aimed a kick for his head, a wave of water following the maneuver, but Keyes caught her foot, and threw her into Natsu, who was still struggling against Tempester. He yelped as she collided into him, leaving them to roll across the ground, getting all tangled together. 

“Watch yourselves!” Gajeel shouted, before grunting as Torafuzar landed a hit. 

“Sorry,” Juvia gasped, scrambling back to her feet as quickly as she could manage and sprinting towards Keyes before Natsu could even reply. 

She had no idea if the dragon slayers were struggling just as badly against their opponents, nor did she have the liberty to ask or observe their fights, but she’d been on fairly even ground with Gajeel ever since she’d known him, and it worried her that they might be struggling just as much as she was. 

“I know my defiant soldier was speaking with you,” Keyes said. “The father of the Fullbuster boy you’re so close with.” 

Juvia ignored him, aiming a punch for the necromancer’s jaw, causing her knuckles to crack and split open as her fist connected with the bone. She sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth, before bounding backwards to a safer distance. 

“You know, if you kill me, you’ll be killing him, too,” Keyes said. “Not that I believe you could ever accomplish such a thing, but I thought you might like that information.” 

Juvia wiped the back of her hand across her nose as she felt blood begin to drip down his chin. She wasn’t sure what hit had caused the nosebleed, but it was beginning to get irritating. “Why should I believe you?” Gray’s family was  _ dead, _ and even  _ if _ this demon had brought one of them back, he could easily be lying, trying to throw her off and confuse her, make her doubt herself. 

Keyes howled with laughter, those terrible strings sewing his mouth together stretching taut. “What do I have to gain from lying, young lady? We’ve always been oh-so-interested in our wayward distant relatives. And it would make such a marvelous story to have the father doom his son to the demonic existence they both hate so much. And even if he manages to fight my compulsion telling him to kill you, I am more than capable of ending your pathetic existence myself!” 

“Shut up!” Juvia shouted, forcing another wave to shove against Keyes. So long as she was still alive and fighting, Gray would be  _ fine. _

Unless that was why this demon was toying with her. He was just waiting for the right moment to kill her, and destroy Gray. 

Juvia grit her teeth. Well, it wasn’t like she was going to let something like that happen. She’d survived Phantom Lord for years, survived Tenrou Island, the battle against the dragons in Crocus. Like  _ hell _ she was going to fall to a demon like this! 

She forced her magic power to rise, building within her, letting her water swirl around her body. Her bones began to ache and creak beneath the force of the power, it had been a long time since she had pushed herself like this, much preferring to defeat opponents with skill and strategy rather than raw power, but she had a feeling that this demon might be craftier than her, leaving her with few options. “I will not lose to you!” she shouted. 

Not only for Gray’s sake, but for her own. Her family had been fighting against these demons for generations, and she was the final Lockser, the last demon hunter left in Fiore. She  _ would not _ let herself fall to the very things her family had sought to destroy. No, she would  _ finish what they had started.  _

She held her hands out, preparing to hit Keyes with the full force of her power. 

“Finally getting serious, are we?” Keyes asked, his voice as bored as ever. “I suppose I am getting tired of waiting on Silver. Or perhaps I should let his son kill  _ him, _ after you’re dead. That would also be rather entertaining.” 

“Go to hell,” Juvia hissed, dragging one foot back to stabilize her stance, just before casting her spell. 

She felt something bony clawing at her ankle, and she risked a glance down, fear and panic shooting through her as she watched a skeleton drag itself out of the ground, clinging onto her body. She shrieked, jerked backwards, kicking at it, trying to dislodge it, even as more and more of the things clawed their way into reality, surrounded by writhing black mist. 

“What do you think, Miss Lockser?” Keyes asked. “Places such as these are filled with despair, and my curse capitalizes on such things!” 

Water sloshed to the earth around her as her concentration vanished, replaced only by the need to  _ get away from these things, _ as more and more the skeletons clawed at her body, their bony fingers digging into her skin, tearing at her clothes. She screamed as her flesh was shredded through, her blood clouding through the water lying stagnant on the ground. 

_ “Juvia!”  _ Gajeel roared. 

She felt her body going numb, almost like it didn’t  _ exist _ anymore. 

_ What is this?  _ She fought desperately against the skeletons, kicking and clawing and punching.  _ What the hell is this!?  _

Her struggles grew weaker, more and more of the skeletons overwhelming her. 

“I can’t die here,” she gasped. She couldn’t die at the hands of a demon, just like everyone else in her family. She couldn’t doom Gray to that hellish existence that he feared so much. 

She turned her gaze to Keyes, going limp, letting his curse overwhelm her.  _ He has to have some kind of body that’s able to be destroyed beneath that cloak. There’s no way he’s made up of only the bone I see.  _

She let herself melt into water, her body dissolving, mixing with the black mist writhing in the air. 

She heard Gajeel scream for her again, his voice broken and raw as he probably assumed the worst. 

_ I’m sorry, I promise I’m okay.  _ Juvia knew how it had probably looked. She didn’t blame him for thinking she was dead, but she could only hoped he didn’t do something stupid before she managed to kill Keyes. 

She was dimly aware of the demon gloating over her demise, shouting about how Gray was going to become a demon now, and of Natsu snarling back  _ No, that can’t be true!  _ but she tuned them out. She had to  _ focus. _ She’d never attempted anything like this before, and if it backfired, it was entirely possible she  _ would _ die. 

When she forced her water into people’s lungs, she could still feel it. Feel it like she could feel all water, if she really tried. And while it was uncomfortable, it was nothing she couldn’t handle. 

But actually forcing herself inside Keyes bloodstream, inside his veins, his lungs, his muscles, was one of the worst sensations she had ever felt. She could feel every beat of his heart with awful clarity, feel his muscles contracting, squeezing against her water particles. The worst sense of vertigo came over her, but she fought through it. She couldn’t afford to let herself lose focus while attempting a maneuver like this. 

She called on her magic again, digging up that excess power she’d never gotten to use when she first summoned it. Her water shoved back, pushing against Keyes's vessels and muscles, forcing them to expand and tear. She relished in the demon’s pained wail as she felt his body begin to swell. 

_ This is it, my first demon. I hope Mom and Dad are proud of me.  _

Unable to contain the pressure any longer, Keyes’ body burst, the demon roaring in agony as fractions of his body were launched across the battlefield, his bones clattering against the stone, his muscles and organs landing with sickening  _ splats. _

Juvia let her body reform, and just as it did so, she leaned over, retching as everything in her stomach forced its way back up. 

“Ju!” Gajeel exclaimed, relief washing over his features, before he was forced to turn his attention back to his own fight. 

Juvia coughed as the last of the vomit forced its way out, and she stood back up, wiping her hand across her chin, ready to help Gajeel. 

_ Gray, if I really did just kill your father, I’m sorry.  _

But she hadn’t had a choice. 

For both their sakes. 

* * *

Soft sobs wracked Gray’s body as he clung onto his father’s corpse, desperately ignoring how even his blood felt cold. “I’m sorry, Dad,” he sobbed. “I’m so sorry!” 

It was all too similar to the day Deliora attacked his village, as he curled against his mother’s side, even after her body began to freeze. 

The ice dagger was still stuck in his chest, Gray couldn’t bring himself to pull it out. 

He knew he needed to get back up, needed to rejoin this fight, but how could he just leave his father like this? 

He brushed his thumb across his father’s face, and his eyes caught on the silver cross earrings he wore, just like Gray’s own necklace. 

As delicately as he could, he removed the earrings, clutching them in his fist, letting the silver dig into his skin, and before he could think too much about it, he shoved one of them through his earlobe, biting back a soft wince at the sting of pain. 

Erza would kill him if she knew he was piercing his ears in the middle of a battlefield with earrings covered in little splatters of blood, but he couldn’t say that he cared, and he pierced the other ear as well. 

He’d never worn earrings before. He hadn’t expected them to be so heavy, but he would get used to it eventually. 

He scrubbed the tears from his eyes, and forced himself to his feet. 

He would destroy every single one of these demons, if it was the last thing he ever did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, Gajeel vs Torafuzar!


	58. Annihilate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva leads Erza to the control room, while Gajeel struggles against Torafuzar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the longer wait, I've moved into my dorm the past week, and my classes started on Monday. Hopefully once I get back into a more steady routine though I'll be updating more regularly.

“R-Rogue?” Minerva stared at him like she couldn’t quite believe he was real. “What are you— Get _out_ of here!” 

“No.” It still felt strange to disobey any of Minerva’s orders, he’d been her loyal soldier for so long, but she wasn’t in charge of him anymore, and this was for her own good. She was going to let Erza _kill_ her. 

Speaking of—

“Yes, Rogue, what _are_ you doing here?” Erza practically demanded, still eyeing Minerva with contempt and distrust, her sword held defensively. 

He sheathed his own katana, confident he could combat Erza with his shadows if she decided to attack Minerva again. “We’ve been searching for Lady Minerva, and Wendy had warned us you were going after Tartaros.” Should he tell her about what he knew from his future self? Would that matter? 

Erza narrowed her eyes, but her stance began to loosen. “We?” 

Rogue sniffed at the air, trying to gauge how far away he was. “Sting is here, too. But I can move faster in the shadows so when we sensed Lady Minerva was so close, I came ahead. He should be here soon.” He took in another deep breath. “Within a few moments.” 

“Why?” Minerva breathed, before she lurched forward, gripping at Rogue’s legs, despite her mangled wrist. “Why would you ever come for me?” A tear dripped down her cheek, and her skin _sizzled_ beneath it. “Look at me.” She gripped him tighter. “Look at me! I’m a monster!” 

Rogue kneeled down, and wiped the tear from her cheek. Was it really so wrong for demons to cry, that they would be punished with pain for doing so? “I don’t care,” he said. “If you’re a monster, then so am I.” He was _worse_ than a monster. He’d destroyed the whole world. “You don’t know the things I’ve done.” 

“What…?” she breathed, confusion in her eyes. 

“I was supposed to destroy the whole world,” Rogue said, bowing his head. “In your name, and Sting and Frosch’s.” 

Erza gasped, and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening. “You blamed me. I—I killed Minerva, and—” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Rogue said firmly, still gently cupping Minerva’s cheek. “I stopped it.” _And so long as someone stops Gray, and Wendy and Gajeel don’t transform, everything may turn out okay._ And with preventing Erza from murdering Minerva, that proved that they could _do it._ They just had to get to Gray and his siblings before it was too late. 

“Why would you ever do that for me?” Minerva asked. “I’m worth _nothing,_ I—” 

“I care for you, Minerva.” Did she really not understand that? After everything? After he gave himself to her, completely, for years? He may not have always agreed with her methods, with her strategies, her ambitions, but that didn’t change how much he cared for her. 

Erza awkwardly cleared her throat. “I… should probably go.” She turned on her heel, marching off in a random direction. 

“And do what?” Minerva asked, her tone dejected. “There’s nothing you could do to stop it. There’s no way to destroy all of those Face weapons.” 

Erza glanced over her shoulder. “Then we just have to stop them from activating in the first place.” She said it like it was perfectly obvious. Truthfully, Rogue didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on, so she might be right. 

Minerva frowned, and forced herself back to her feet. “If that’s your plan, then you need to get to the control room and stop them. They’re using information from the ex-chairman to activate them. I think Franmalth is dead, but Keyes and Seilah both have abilities that could be used for that.” Gingerly, she held her broken wrist in her hand. “I can lead you there.” 

“Really?” Distrust crept into Erza’s voice, across her features. 

“You can believe me or not,” Minerva said. “But do you really have the time to try and figure it out on your own?” 

“Fine,” Erza said, jerking her chin up. 

“I’m coming with you,” Rogue said. Like _hell_ he was letting Minerva out of his sight anytime soon. 

“Rogue!” Sting called. “Oh thank god, you found her!” He ran towards them, Lector and Frosch bounding after him. “Minerva!” 

“Are you okay, Rogue?” Frosch asked as she extended her wings, to flutter up and rest on his shoulder. 

“I’m okay,” Rogue assured her, before scratching beneath her chin. “And remember what I told you. You _can’t_ leave my side, okay?” The easiest way to keep Frosch from becoming collateral, would be to keep her as close as he possibly could. When word got back to Sabertooth about the disaster quickly unfolding between Fairy Tail and Tartaros, he’d wanted to just leave the exceed back at the guild, but she had refused, so keeping her close was the best he could manage. 

“I know,” she assured him, butting her face against his cheek. 

“Good to see you alive, Minerva,” Sting said with a grin. “And you, too, Erza.” 

“Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel should be somewhere close—” the requip mage began. 

Thorny vines erupted from the ground, the earth shuddering as they tore through it. Minerva yelped and stumbled backwards into Erza, while Frosch yowled and dug her claws into Rogue’s shoulder, causing him to wince. 

“I’ve warned and warned Kyoka and Seilah to stop playing with humans,” a soft voice said. “But they never do learn.” 

Rogue whipped around, watching a demon step towards them with a cool confidence, clicking his tongue. “I always knew you would betray us, Minerva.” 

Fear pooled in Minerva’s eyes, and she took a shaky step backwards. “Lord Mard Geer…” 

Erza was already requipping into a different armor set, a sword in each hand, ready to attack the demon. 

“Wait,” Rogue hissed. He and Sting had no idea what was going on. Like it or not, Erza had the most idea of what needed to be done to actually _end_ the fighting. The last thing they needed was her getting caught up in fighting a demon like this, or getting incapcitated trying. “Minerva, get her to whatever that control room you were talking about was. Sting and I will handle this.” 

“You will?” Erza asked incredulously. 

“We will!?” Sting demanded, just barely dodging another burst of vines exploding from the ground. 

“This isn’t your fight!” Erza protested, trying to rush forward, but Minerva grabbed her with her good hand. 

“Come on, he’s right,” she said. “If we’re to have any hope of putting an end to this, we will let them handle him.” 

Erza snarled and ripped herself out of Minerva’s hold, but followed after her when she ran. 

Rogue took a deep breath and placed Frosch on the ground. “Don’t get too far, but stay out of the fighting.” Shadows began to swirl around his body as he called on his magic. “Stick close with Lector, me and Sting will handle this just fine.” 

“I think so, too!” Frosch chirped. 

* * *

Minerva stumbled, falling against a half standing wall with a wince. 

Biting back a groan, Erza held her hand out. “Here, lean on me,” she offered. 

“I don’t need your help!” she hissed. “I’m just fine!” 

Erza rolled her eyes with a huff. _Fine._ As if she didn’t have broken bones and wasn’t covered in cuts and bruises. Though she may be a demon now, it didn’t seem as if that had given her any healing abilities or a sturdier body. “We need to get to that control room as quickly as possible, so I can’t have you passing out or slowing us down.” Like hell she was going to let magic disappear from the world, all thanks to Minerva’s _stubbornness._ She grabbed the demon, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. “Just point me in the right direction, alright?” 

Minerva hung her head. “Damn you, Erza.” 

“Is now really the time?” she snarled, baring her teeth. 

“Not even you can win against them,” she said as they began to stumble down the hall. “We’re weak.” 

“So what?” Erza asked. “That doesn’t mean we should just roll over and accept it!” Fairy Tail never would have gotten anywhere if they did that. _Erza_ never would have gotten anywhere if she did that. 

“I hate you,” Minerva whispered. “I hate you so much.” 

“I am fully aware.” Though Erza still didn’t understand _why._ Sure, she had gone after Minerva with everything she had during their fights. But Minerva had hated her far before that. 

“You were everything I wanted to be…” she said, so quietly the demon probably hadn’t intended for her to hear, but she’d forgotten about Erza’s heightened senses. 

Shock and confusion came over Erza. _Jealousy?_ Had Minerva seriously done all of this because she was _jealous_ of Erza? No, that couldn’t be right. 

“I hate you, too,” Erza said, looking straight ahead, telling herself that she didn’t give a damn about Minerva’s reaction. “I hated you, because I saw myself in you.” _If I had never found Fairy Tail…_ Without Fairy Tail, Erza likely would have strayed down the same path of anger and bitterness and darkness. An obsession with strength and power, all to prove that she wasn’t the same pathetic thing that had failed everyone at the Tower of Heaven. “I so easily could have become you, but I didn’t.” 

Minerva shifted, like she wanted to pull away, but Erza held her tighter. They didn’t have the _time_ for that. 

“Without my guild, without my _family,_ who knows what would have become of me.” She’d seen Erza Knightwalker in Edolas; she knew she was fully capable of becoming a monster. 

Minerva let out a small, choked noise, something that might have been a sob. 

Erza hated Minerva. She didn’t know if that would ever change. She wasn’t even sure if she believed she deserved a second chance, because even now, it didn’t appear she was sorry for a single thing that she had done. 

But what right did she have to make judgements like that? 

“When we survive this battle…” Not if, _when._ “Go back with Rogue and Sting.” 

Minerva was silent for a moment, and Erza thought she might argue, but then she said, “Okay,” her voice quiet and soft. 

Sincere. 

* * *

Natsu tried not to wince as he watched Juvia collapse. She’d tried to help Gajeel as much as she could against Torafuzar, but after her fight with Keyes, she was exhausted and hurt. She’d only lasted a few moments, but honestly, Natsu was surprised she had managed to keep fighting for that long. 

But now that meant they had _two_ wizards down to keep an eye on, and if some backup didn’t get here soon, Gajeel wasn’t going to last much longer either. Natsu was amazed he was doing as well as he was against the demon. He shuddered as he remembered the agony of his own wings growing in, and he couldn’t even begin to imagine trying to fight right after such a thing. 

A wave of Tempester’s magic careened towards him, and Natsu threw himself to the ground, rolling to avoid it. He really couldn’t afford to be getting distracted right now, but it was taking everything in him not to rush to his brother’s side. 

God, he hoped someone got here to help him soon. 

* * *

Levy couldn’t _believe_ Gajeel had run off like that. She was going to _kill him._ After she’d told him to stay put, that he needed to rest and let everyone else handle the fighting, he’d left her while she was still dazed, as soon as that strange curse had dissolved. The second she found him again she was going to strangle him. 

_If he’s even still alive._

She shook her head. She _couldn’t_ allow herself to think that way. Gajeel would be fine. He was tough! He wouldn’t let anything keep him down, not even torture. 

“God, he was tortured,” she gasped. Of course, that was obvious just from looking at him. Even if she wasn’t aware of the pain that came with wings now, his mangled hand, missing tooth, and the cuts all over his back didn’t leave any other explanations. 

Gajeel had been _tortured,_ and he was still trying to fight. 

He’d broken down, just for a few moments. Her dress was still damp with his tears, but Levy knew him well enough to know that he’d buried it again. The stubborn man wasn’t going to actually acknowledge what happened to him until someone forced him to, or until he ignored it for long enough that it began to fester and ate at him from the inside out. 

Levy clenched her teeth. It wasn’t like any of that mattered unless they actually managed to get out of here alive. She had to find him, _had to,_ before it was too late. 

* * *

Gajeel hadn’t tried to use Rogue’s shadows since the first time he’d absorbed them, but he had few options now. It was all he could do to stand up straight, and he needed every ounce of power he could get. And maybe it was because he was already so disoriented, but he hadn’t noticed how hard it was to actually control the shadows before. It explained why Rogue had so many troubles with them. 

They crawled over the ground, and Gajeel struggled to keep them away from Lucy and Juvia’s limp forms. Both women were already injured enough, he didn’t want to make it any worse for them by accidentally hurting them. 

He held his hand out, forcing the shadows to converge on Torafuzar. It was _agony_ to curl his fingers, they were stiff and hard to move, but he _needed_ to use his magic, and he _refused_ to let what Seilah did to him hinder him in a fight. 

Torafuzar easily dodged the mass of shadows, rushing forward to slam Gajeel into the ground. 

He wheezed, biting back a pained groan as the cuts on his back were torn even deeper as the rubble dug into his skin. 

“I’m a little disappointed,” the demon said with a grimace. “You likely would have been a formidable opponent, had Seilah not gotten to you first.” He shoved harder against Gajeel’s chest. “She really does think she’s the center of attention.” 

Gajeel sank his claws into the demon’s wrist, trying to wrench the demon off of himself, but he wouldn’t budge. 

“Gajeel!” Nasu shouted. 

_Dammit, he needs to be worried about himself._ “I’m fine!” 

“You are?” Torafuzar laughed. “I find that hard to believe.” He grabbed a handful of Gajeel’s hair, lifting his head, and slamming it back into the ground. 

Black spots danced in Gajeel’s vision as he cried out. The world began spinning, and he felt sick. _Dammit!_ He wasn’t going to die here! Not like this! He’d made it out of that monster’s lab, and this _wasn’t how he was going to die!_ He writhed and twisted, but still couldn’t dislodge the demon. 

_Wait, Rogue’s shadows!_

He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling for the shadows around him. _Come on, come on, come on._

He fell. The ground dissolved around him, the demon’s weight holding him down vanished, and he _fell._ Relief coursed through him, as he was able to _breathe_ for a second. “Goddamn wings,” he muttered. He had half a mind just to rip them off. All they were good for was getting in the damn way! He probably would have been able to fight perfectly fine with his injuries, it was the _wings_ getting in his way. Destroying his balance, throwing him off. 

It wasn’t like it mattered, though. He couldn’t hide in the shadows forever. If he did, both demons would go after Natsu, and his brother was struggling enough against a single one of them. 

He folded the wings against his back, hoping that would help at least marginally with his balance, that was how Natsu kept his most of the time, anyways, and clawed his way out of the shadows, slamming his iron fist into Torafuzar’s back as appeared behind him. 

Torafuzar whipped around, swinging his fist. Gajeel ducked, and sliced his claws up the demon’s face while his momentum kept him from countering. The motion caused Gajeel to stumble, but he stayed upright, and bounced backwards before the demon could counterattack. 

Torafuzar’s tongue darted out to lick at the discolored blood dripping from the wounds. “Not bad, for a failed lab rat.” 

A snarl rumbled from Gajeel’s chest. He wasn’t a _fucking_ lab rat! 

“But I have better things to do than amuse you.” He straightened up. “Dark deluge.” 

“What—” 

Water exploded, dark and thick. It rushed inside Gajeel’s mouth and up his nose before he could think to hold his breath. The sudden wave ruined his already precarious balance, leaving him to be washed away by the current. 

He slammed into a limp body, that he recognized as Lucy when her blonde hair slapped against his face. He clung onto her, flaring his wings and trying to steady himself in the water. Lucy’s head snapped backwards, bubbles escaping her nose and mouth. 

_Shit!_ Juvia would probably be fine in the water, even unconscious, wherever her body had ended up, but there was no way Lucy would last like this. “Hey, Natsu!” he shouted, his voice garbled and distorted. 

Natsu was already trying to attack Torafuzar, but his fire didn’t appear to be working at _all._ Dread washed over Gajeel as he realized that this wasn’t just water, it was some kind of demon curse, just like Seilah’s, because even though Natsu’s magic wasn’t nearly as powerful as it normally was in the water, he could still _use_ it, at the least. 

And if this was a curse, there was no guarantee that even Juvia would be able to breathe in this water! 

Gajeel held Lucy tighter to his chest, desperately trying to figure out which way he needed to swim to make it to the surface, but the swirling water left it impossible to figure it out, not to mention, given the wreckage, they could be trapped in a tunnel or something. There might not _be_ a surface. 

_Sorry, blondie._ He tossed Lucy away. The best way to help her would be to kill Torafuzar and drain the water. 

His chest was already aching, he wouldn’t be able to hold his breath forever, so he needed to do this quickly. “Natsu!” For some reason, Tempester was no longer attacking, which meant they could tag team Torafuzar, which was probably a good thing. 

But Natsu’s limp body was already floating aimlessly through the water. 

_Dammit, Natsu!_ Gajeel had barely been holding his own against Torafuzar when he was able to _breathe._ How the _fuck_ was he supposed to handle the demon now!? 

Torafuzar swam towards Gajeel, grabbing him by the wing and slamming him into a wall. He cried out, water rushing down his throat and into his lungs. 

_I’m a fucking idiot._ He should have listened to Levy. He shouldn’t be anywhere near this fight. He was going to be torn to shreds by this demon, if he didn’t drown first. He couldn’t _fight_ in this condition, and his stubborn pride had not only gotten himself killed, but Natsu, Juvia, and Lucy, too. 

He lost his grip on his iron skin, and Torfuzar’s claws sank into his back, tearing even more gouges. 

He could smell his blood clouding through the water as his vision darkened and his lungs burned. He needed air, or he was going to black out. He twisted, aiming a shadow slash at Torafuzar, but it was so clumsy and weak it did nothing to harm the demon. 

“Pathetic,” Torafuzar hissed. “I can’t believe other members are falling to fairies like you!” He let go of Gajeel, only to kick him into another wall. 

He was going to die right here, right now. Even if the rest of Fairy Tail made it out of this, if his siblings and everyone else he cared about managed to survive, he was never going to see them again. 

Levy’s voice echoed through his mind. _Please don’t die._

_I’m sorry, Levy…_

* * *

Levy waded through the dark water. She knew the smart thing to do would be to find some high ground, before trying to find the demon responsible for this curse and take them out, but she _knew_ Gajeel had gone this direction, and _he needed help._ She could _feel_ it. 

Taking a deep breath, she dove beneath the water, swimming into the rubble of the Tartaros base. There was nowhere to stop for breaths. If Gajeel really was down this way, he was probably _drowning._

It was too dark to see, and she wrote the word light, the bright shine illuminating floating pieces of rubble and—

_Bodies!_

Levy had to fight back a gasp, not wanting to lose the precious oxygen in her lungs. Juvia’s limp body floated past her, and she caught a glimpse and Lucy and Natsu’s not too far ahead. 

She swam faster, sensing the dark power of a demon further ahead, likely the one responsible for this curse, considering the water was all coming from this area. If she could take him out… 

She swam over a pile of rubble, and her eyes widened. 

_Gajeel!_

Blood clouded around his body, and she watched his eyes slip closed, his wings going limp. A tiny breath escaped from between his lips, probably the last air he had. 

Levy didn’t even think. She _wasn’t_ losing him here! 

She kicked off the debris, slamming into the dragon slayer. She grabbed his head, digging her hands into his tangled hair, and pressed their lips together. 

* * *

Gajeel’s eyes snapped open, feeling returning to his limbs as he took in a breath of air. He felt hands fall away from him, as Levy pulled back, grim determination in her eyes. “I’m gonna fucking win,” she said.

_Levy…_ What the hell was she doing here!? 

Torafuzar shot towards them, aiming a blow for Levy. 

Gajeel grabbed her, tucking her against his chest, and wrapping his wings around them, protecting her from the hit. There was no way he could win against this monster, not in his condition, but maybe she could… 

Torafuzar’s fist slammed into his wing, causing him to wince and squeeze Levy tighter. 

The script mage’s fingers twitched, as she tried to write something. 

_Air,_ he realized. 

A bubble expanded around them, and Gajeel took in a deep breath as Levy coughed, water leaving her mouth with each hack. “What the hell were you thinking?” she rasped. “I told you to stay put…” 

“I’m sorry—” 

The bubble burst, and water rushed over him again. 

Levy quickly wrote the word _air_ again, causing another bubble to surround them. “I’m gonna take care of this demon. You just stay alive. I’ll try and give you air whenever I can, but—” 

Gajeel threw Levy to the side, narrowly dodging another hit from Torafuzar. He wanted to tell her not to even worry about him, she needed to keep all of her focus on this fight. But he didn’t want to try and talk and waste what air she’d already given him. 

_Give him hell, Lev._

* * *

Levy was not meant for combat. She’d spent nearly her whole life using her magic for research, curse breaking, or support during battles. It wasn’t until recently that she had begun using it in actual combat. 

She hadn’t realized how _natural_ she was at it. She’d always hated fighting, even the “fun” fighting everyone she had grown up with had participated in, so she’d never thought to train herself in that area. But recently, as she’d started using her magic for combat, after everything that had happened on Tenrou, and then the Grand Magic Games and the battle against the dragons, she realized she was _good_ at it, and that she had never fully utilized her script magic’s full combative abilities. 

Now wasn’t the time to mess around and use small techniques. Never mind Gajeel, she needed to get this water out of here as quickly as possible for Natsu, Lucy, and Juvia’s sakes. It was time to pull out all of the stops, even if it would leave her magically drained afterwards. 

_Solid script: crush._

She’d used a more mild version of this against Flare with her _pressure_ technique, but she wanted this demon _dead._

Reality itself folded around the demon, causing the water to swirl and roil. He roared as invisible walls slammed against him, but he managed to claw his way through the magic, his brute strength and curse power negating her magic. 

Levy hissed through clenched teeth, and dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a blast of Torafuzar’s curse. _Solid script: sword!_ The weapon appeared in her hands, and she twisted, slashing it across the demon’s chest as it approached her. 

Black blood exploded from the wound, and though the demon cried out in pain, he managed to slam his fist into Levy’s side, knocking what little breath was left out of her. 

_Solid script: air!_

She took in a deep breath, before the demon destroyed her little bubble. She risked a glance towards Gajeel, who had swam back to grab Natsu and Lucy, holding them against his chest. Blood still leaked from his numerous wounds, and it was obvious he was in pain. 

Levy growled. She _hated_ these demons for what they put her friends through, for what they put _Gajeel_ through. 

_To hell with the magical consequences._ If she did this, she wouldn’t be able to use her magic power for _days,_ it might even make her sick, but she wanted this demon _gone,_ she wanted him _dead._

She only wished she was able to give Seilah this punishment, but Torafuzar would have to do. 

She held her hand out, prepared to write a command she’d never even attempted before, one that solid script mages weren’t supposed to use. 

_Am I really going to break the laws of the universe?_ Most solid script mages couldn’t even pull something like this off, she could only hope she was powerful enough. 

“Solid script: annihilate.” 

The word blazed as she wrote it, igniting the underwater wreckage in brilliant light. 

Pain and fatigue exploded throughout Levy’s body. She felt her muscles stretching, aching, her bones groaning beneath the weight of the power. Nausea so intense it caused the world to spin gripped her. She’d never used such powerful magic before, never exhausted herself like this, and she couldn’t even begin to describe the uncomfortableness and pain that accompanied the spell she had just used. 

But she couldn’t say that she cared. 

Torafuzar exploded, as if he were ripped from the world, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater. 

The water disappeared, and Levy crashed to the ground, coughing and wheezing as her body began to tremble, any magic left in her vanishing right alongside Torafuzar. 

“I did it,” she whispered with a grim smile. 

She’d just erased a demon from existence, with a solid script spell no one in their right mind would _ever_ dare to use. 

Maybe she was just as crazy as her guild after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh... did I say Gajeel defeated Torafuzar? Lmao 
> 
> But no, seriously, Levy is a badass and it is a CRIME that we did not get some actual fight scenes with her in canon.


	59. Apocalyptic Roar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva and Erza make it to the control room, and Laxus goes after Tempester

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I wrote two chapters in one day! (I mean, technically not, it's like... two in the morning, but eh, I'll take it). Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Laxus blinked, disoriented and confused. His nose was assaulted by unfamiliar scents, and the jarring sounds of a battle rang in his ears. He tried to roll over and push himself up, but his body was wracked with pain, his lungs constricted, each breath burnt, and he quickly gave up trying to move. 

“Jet, Warren, do me a favor,” Porlyusica said quietly. “Try and find Wendy, if you can. At this point…” The healer sighed. “All I’m able to do is make them comfortable, but without advanced healing magic, I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before we lose all of them. If I get access to some of the demon’s blood that did this, I could save Laxus and his team, but I don’t think that’s very likely at this point.” 

“Sure, ma’am,” Jet said. “I’ll get right on that.” 

“‘Course, Porlyusica,” Warren said. “I’ll ask around for her, see if I can find her.” 

“Thank you.” 

Laxus heard Porlyusica settle down next to someone, muttering about ruined bandages, but not having any clean ones on her. 

He shifted, managing to roll over enough to see Freed lying next to him, his skin ashen, and his breath just barely tickling Laxus’s face. The faint scent of blood accompanied each pathetic breath he managed. 

“Freed,” he muttered, his voice barely able to be heard. Of course, the other man didn’t respond at all, and if what Porlyusica said was true, it wasn’t likely Freed would ever open his eyes again. 

“Freed, please,” he whispered. He reached his hand out, laying it on Freed’s cheek, brushing his thumb across him. His skin was so  _ cold.  _

“Laxus?” Porlyusica stood back up, stepping over to lean over him. “Should have known you’d be too stubborn to stay unconscious for long, even though you managed to absorb the most of the bane particles.” 

He grunted, pulling away from Freed, shifting so he could look up at her. “Yeah, what about it?” 

“I assume you heard what I said.” 

“Yeah.” There wasn’t any point in lying or pretending he hadn’t. He was a deadman, and so were his closest friends. What would denying it get him? 

“I’m doing everything I can for you, but I have to warn you,” she said. “That even if by some miracle you manage to pull through, there will likely be some lasting consequences thanks to this.” 

“Yeah…” Laxus sniffed at the air, and despite the chaos, he managed to pick out that damn demon’s scent.  _ Tempester. _ “How long can you keep them alive?” 

Porlyusica frowned. “Here? A few hours. If the battle wraps up soon and I get them to my cottage, probably a few days. Why?” 

“Right.” He forced himself up, fighting through the pain. He could do this in a few hours. 

“Laxus—” Porlyusica warned. 

“I’m getting you that damn blood, and they better still be alive when I get back,” he said. 

Porlyusica sighed. “What kind of physician do you take me for?” 

* * *

Gajeel stared at the crater where Torfuzar had once been, his mouth hanging open. Damn, he’d known Levy was powerful and crafty, she had to be to be considered for the S-Class exam, but he’d never even  _ imagined _ that she was capable of something like that. She could have  _ destroyed _ him, she could have destroyed  _ any _ opponent she’d ever had, so why hadn’t she? Did she just hate fighting and violence that much? Or did spells like that have disastrous consequences? 

He shook his head. It didn’t matter. He had to make sure she was okay, along with Natsu, Lucy, and Juvia. He forced himself to his feet, and staggered over to Lucy’s body. A quick check proved she was still alive, though he could hear the excess water in her lungs. He rolled her onto her side, and she began to cough and retch, her body expelling the water, though she still didn’t wake up. 

He sighed, and moved onto Natsu, who had pretty much the exact same reaction, though he did begin to stir. “I’m gonna kill you, man,” Gajeel muttered. “I could have used you back there.” 

Juvia was doing just fine, even if it didn’t appear that she would be conscious anytime soon. Despite it being curse water, she’d been just fine in it. “Coulda used you, too, Ju,” he said with a sigh. “You woulda been able to take care of him no problem in an environment like that.” 

Confident that the three of them would be okay, Gajeel stumbled his way back over to Levy. “The hell was that, shrimp?” he asked as he fell to his knees next to her, before shifting so he could pull her trembling body into his lap. “You never told me you were so badass.” 

“I don’t like fighting,” she said. “And spells like that take a lot of power. I’ll be completely drained for days now. Hell, if Ultear hadn’t given me access to my Second Origin, I probably wouldn’t have been able to pull that off.” She winced. “But I had to save your sorry ass.” 

“Fair…” he muttered, more than a little ashamed. “Uh… by the way…” He turned his head away. He should probably just not bring this up, but he had to know. “If you could use your magic to make air, why would ya—um… you know…” He held his hand to his lips. 

Levy’s face burned bright red, all the way to the tips of her ears. “I-I-I don’t know!” She shoved her way out of his lap. “I just panicked, and I saw you floating there like that, and I just didn’t think and—” 

“Alright, alright, I was just wonderin,’ ya weirdo,” he said. It wasn’t like he was expecting anything else from her. He only wished he’d been more lucid to enjoy the closest thing to a kiss that he’d ever get from her. 

Levy let out a breath, and rubbed her upper arms, her entire body still shaking. “I think I’m gonna pass out, Gajeel.” She fell against his chest. 

“Shit, Levy!” He clung onto her, trying not to think about all the awful things that could result from magic overuse. 

“I’m okay,” she assured him, glancing up at him. “I’m just— That took a lot out of me.” 

“It’s— It’s fine,” he told her, unsure of what else he  _ could _ tell her. Though if she passed out, that meant he would be the only one conscious, and he wasn’t going to be able to defend everyone if they were attacked again, and he sure as  _ hell _ couldn’t carry four people back to the main group. 

“You better still be alive when I wake up,” she threatened, before she went completely limp, slumping against his body. 

“I’ll do my best,” he promised, burying his face in her hair, drinking in her scent. He would be  _ dead _ without her. They would  _ all _ be dead without her. 

At least she hadn’t cried this time. He had hated making her cry. 

“Franmalth, Ezel, Jackal, Keyes, and now Torafuzar,” a bored voice said. “Lord Mard Geer is going to be very disappointed.” 

Gajeel froze, chills racing over every bone in his body. How the  _ fuck _ had he managed to forget about Tempester? More importantly, how was he supposed to  _ fight _ the demon in his condition? 

He gave Levy’s body one more squeeze, before gently laying her down, and forced himself to his feet to face the demon. He didn’t have a choice. He had to fight him, to protect everyone that couldn’t fight for themselves anymore. Iron crawled over his skin as he raised his fists, but he wasn’t going to be able to maintain it for long. 

“Out of the way, Redfox!” 

“Huh!?” Gajeel whipped around, his hair standing on end as he felt electricity crackle through the air.  _ “Lightning breath!?”  _ He’d thought Laxus was down for the count! 

“I said, out of the way!” Laxus shouted, holding his hands out, lightning flickering at his fingers. 

_ Shit! _ Gajeel dove to the ground, covering Levy’s body with his own as he forced his iron skin away, just in time for the lightning to  _ explode.  _

* * *

“Here,” Minerva said, pointing towards a doorway that was still halfway standing, a little ways down the hall. “This should be the control room.” 

Erza nodded, and leaned down to help Minerva slide down the wall, propping herself upright against it. “I’ll take care of it from here.” 

“You’re injured, too,” the demon pointed out. 

“Not nearly as badly as you,” she rebuffed. Besides, it wasn’t like she had a choice. Whatever was waiting for her inside the control room couldn’t wait on her to find the closest person with healing magic. She had to handle it  _ now _ if they were to stand any chance at all. 

Minerva sighed, but nodded. “Judging by the chaos around here, even more of the Nine Demon Gates have been defeated, but whoever is left will definitely be guarding that room.” 

“Noted.” Erza requipped into her purgatory armor, deciding to attack with as much brute force as possible. Maybe she could take out whatever demons might be in there before they even realized what she was doing. 

“Good luck,” Minerva said, her voice grim. “With my wrist broken like this, my magic isn’t reliable since I need to move my hands to use it, so I’m afraid I’ll be next to no help.” 

“I wasn’t expecting you to help,” Erza said. 

Minerva sighed. “Of course you weren’t. Quit wasting time talking to me and go hack those demons up.” 

“Right.” Erza hefted her massive sword up to rest it on her shoulder, and marched towards the door, to find—

Nothing. 

There was nothing inside, but strange lacrima screens. Not the ex-chairman, not any demons, though there was the evidence of a fight, and lingering magic, though she couldn’t quite place who it belonged to. 

She stalked closer to the screens, wondering what the hell she could do to shut this down, because surely it had already been activated, right? Could she simply destroy them? Or would that only make it worse? 

“Hello, Faerie.” 

Erza whipped around, brandishing her blade. 

The demon bounded backwards, narrowly avoiding the strike. “So you’re the one my dear Kyoka lost to.” She sighed and shook her head. “Unlikely I’ll fare any better…” 

Erza frowned. Why was this demon  _ admitting _ she didn’t think she could win? Since when did demons act like that? 

“My name is Seilah,” she said. “And congratulations. You’ve found the wreckage of our plan.” She seemed truly distraught over the fact that they might have failed. “Aren’t you proud? You’ve brought the mighty Tartaros guild to our knees.” 

Erza bared her teeth, still refusing to shift out of her defensive stance. Considering the power level of the demon that had attacked Sting and Rogue, and the fact that she could still sense Fairy Tail wizards fighting all around her, like hell she would believe this battle was anywhere near over. “What do you want?” 

Seilah took a small step forward, holding her hands out like she wanted to touch Erza. “I want this all to end.” 

_ “Erza!  _ Don’t let her touch you!” Mirajane shouted as she leaped through a hole in the wall, bounding straight for Seilah, magic already building in her palms. 

Erza jerked backwards, just in time for Mirajane to slam into the demon. 

_ “Dammit,”  _ Seilah hissed, twisting and writhing, trying to throw Mirajane off. “You fucking bitch, not you again!” 

Mirajane snarled, her body shifting into a takeover form. “We weren’t finished,  _ Seilah.”  _

“Get off of her!” another voice screamed, as Kyoka dropped down from above, aiming a strike for Mirajane. 

Erza thrusted her sword out, just barely stopping Kyoka’s talons from sinking into Mirajane’s back. “Get the hell away from my girlfriend!” 

* * *

Laxus knew using his magic with this many bane particles in his system was probably suicide, but he couldn’t say that he cared. Never mind saving Gajeel’s sorry ass, as well as everyone else who was passed out here, if it meant saving Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen, he’d gladly sacrifice himself. 

With every spark of lightning he called, the pain in his body intensified. He choked on his own blood with each breath, the bane particles wreaking havoc on his respiratory system. But he couldn’t afford to back down from this fight, to lose. 

“You’re still alive?” Tempester asked, some of the boredom leaving his voice. “I’m surprised you’ve managed to hang on for this long, let alone still be up and fighting.” 

Laxus grit his teeth, sending another bolt of lightning towards the demon. He hadn’t  _ won _ the previous fight against the demon. Tempester had self-destructed, deciding to take Laxus and anyone nearby out, just to be petty. 

However, Laxus had been caught by surprise that time, and now he knew exactly what he was getting into. 

Laxus had defeated a  _ saint wizard _ before, like hell he was going to let a Tartaros demon do him in! But l ightning wasn’t going to be enough. Not against monsters like these. He may not be as dragon as the rest of the slayers, didn’t have the same claws or instincts, but he was still a hell of a lot closer than most people, and his teeth were sharper than most. 

He’d spent his whole life keeping that side of himself hidden, clamping it down, and only those closest to him had seen it on  _ rare _ occasions. But well… if he really was about to die, who cared if he gave into that side of him? 

He’d do it for his friends, for  _ Freed.  _

Lightning crackled over his body, and for the first time in his life, he let go. 

That lacrima had done so many things to him, and he had desperately tried to ignore all them, except the magic itself. 

But he couldn’t deny that it felt  _ good _ to let that part of him take over. 

The sudden comfort his heightened senses brought him, the way his body began to react to stimuli. He bared his teeth, a deep growl rumbling from his chest. 

“Woah, lightning bolt, you finally goin’ feral?” Gajeel asked. 

Laxus snarled at him, and the other slayer raised his hands in surrender, before turning his attention back to Levy, making sure any stray bolts of lightning hadn’t hurt her. 

Tempester forced his curse towards him, and Laxus dove to the side, his body moving in an almost foreign way, his movements looser, more animalistic. It was jarring at first, but he quickly grew used to it, letting his instincts take over, telling him how to move. 

He could sense the way the demon was going to move before he actually did, could differentiate between the regular breaths and the sharp breath that he took just before activating a curse, and suddenly, Laxus began to realize why the other slayers were so hard to combat, why they seemed to know your own moves before you made them. 

His magic attacks became wilder, slashing like claws and tearing like teeth, rather than the clean and swift strikes he normally used. 

Tempester narrowed his eyes. “You are not the same as last time.” 

Laxus didn’t offer him a reply. Why  _ should _ he answer his opponent, someone who was going to be dead by the time he was finished with him? “Lightning dragon roar!” 

Tempester gasped as the lightning connected with his body, and Laxus surged forward, knowing he needed to kill him while he was incapacitated. 

He locked his jaws around the demon’s throat. 

The blood made him want to gag, it was putrid, and rotten, nothing like the metallic tang of human blood, but he couldn’t let go, not until the demon was  _ dead. _ Not until Freed was  _ safe.  _

Tempester gasped and tried to shove him off, but Laxus refused to let go, rocking his head, listening to the squelching of muscles tearing and stretching, the gurgling of blood bubbling up the demon’s throat in unnatural ways. 

Although… he wasn’t nearly as disgusted as he thought he would be. 

Finally, Tempester ceased struggling, going limp and falling to the ground, a chunk of his throat ripping away as he did so. Laxus spat it out, pushing against the chunks of flesh stuck between his teeth with his tongue. 

Though now that the demon was dead, the rush of adrenaline disappeared, causing Laxus to fall to his knees next to Tempester’s corpse. 

“Hey!” Gajeel staggered towards him, his wings flaring and unflaring, trying to keep him upright. “Laxus! The hell’s going on?” 

Laxus gestured to the demon’s corpse. “Gotta get that blood to Porlyusica.” 

_ “What!?” _ Gajeel grabbed him. “You better not go passin’ out, I got enough to deal with!” 

Laxus huffed.  _ Like I have any control over that. _

He collapsed. 

* * *

Natsu retched, water bubbling up his throat as he rolled over, his body convulsing as it tried to expel the water he’d swallowed. He clutched at his stomach, hoping his body would calm down now that the water was gone. He flopped onto his back, before brushing the wet hair back from his forehead.  _ What the hell happened?  _ He glanced over, to see Lucy and Juvia’s limp bodies lying a few feet away. At first, he was worried they might be dead, but then he heard their heartbeats, their breath, even if they weren’t as strong or as steady as they should have been. 

He wasn’t dead though, so he assumed both demons had been defeated, which was good. 

“Natsu!” Gajeel stumbled over. “Natsu, thank god! Help me get Ju, Levy, and blondie up. There’s no way in hell we can carry them all.” 

“Huh?” Natsu blinked, forcing himself to sit up. 

“The lightning bastard said—” 

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked. “Why do you— What—” 

Gajeel sighed, and attempted to fold his wings behind his back, but he did it all wrong. If he kept them held like that, they would start cramping soon. “One of the demons got to me, but that’s not important, we need to—” 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m  _ fine,” _ he snapped. 

“Fuck, god, okay!” Natsu forced himself to his feet. If Gajeel didn’t want to talk about it, it wasn’t like he could make him, though he couldn’t imagine that had been a pleasurable experience. 

“Like I  _ said,” _ his brother began. “We need to—” 

Natsu’s blood pulsed. 

A sudden chill went through the air, and he swore the entire world had gone silent. 

“No way in hell…” Gajeel muttered. “That’s just not fucking fair.” 

Natsu held his hand to his chest,  _ cringing _ as he felt his blood twisting inside him. “Why?” he whispered. 

Why would he come here? Why now?  _ Why?  _

A roar so loud Natsu had to cover his ears sounded, and he felt all the magic in the air reverberate with the noise. 

“Acnologia!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so, so, so excited! It's finally time for the dragons to return!!


	60. Dragon Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Igneel returns, and Kyoka is instructed to merge with the Face weapon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally had to cave and finally split this into two documents, since my computer decided to nuke itself every time I opened it lmao

The chill roused Lucy. But it wasn’t a physical chill, it was like something unnatural and ominous had settled in her very bones, leaving her body trembling. Slowly, fighting through the lingering aches in her body, she forced herself to sit up, wringing the moisture from her hair. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice hoarse. 

She noticed Levy and Juvia lying not too far away, though they were beginning to stir. Laxus was also unconscious, but it didn’t look like he was going to be getting up anytime soon. Then she noticed Gajeel and Natsu, staring at the sky with wide eyes. 

“H-Hey, Gajeel, Natsu?” She staggered to her feet, shuffling towards them. “What’s wrong—” 

A deep, horrifying,  _ familiar _ growl reverberated through the air. 

Lucy gasped, turning on her heel and looking up at the sky, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. 

She would never forget that sound, this  _ presence, _ even if she tried. 

He was still several miles away, but illuminated by the moon and stars, Lucy could tell who it was. Massive black wings shadowed the world, highlighted by nearly glowing blue swirls. Lucy swore she could feel those dead eyes pinning her down, even from that distance. 

She fell onto her rear. “That’s not fair,” she whimpered. They’d already survived him once, why did they have to do it  _ again? _ Why now? When they were already facing monsters spat out of Hell? “That’s not  _ fair!”  _

“Lucy?” Juvia blinked, her eyes bleary. “What…?” The water mage stiffened, and she jerked up, quickly spotting the approaching dragon. “Gajeel!” She whipped around, limping towards the dragon slayer as fast as she possibly could. “Gajeel, are you okay!?” 

Shudders raced through Lucy as she remembered the terrifying, nearly  _ feral _ way the slayers had reacted to Acnologia last time, and she cursed herself for not thinking of that sooner. 

“I’m fine,” Gajeel assured her, though Lucy could see the sweat beading on his forehead and the way he was clenching his teeth as she got back to her feet to approach them. “Just… just a little disorienting.” He winced. “I can feel it, that… that urge to be near him, but… I can fight it. What about you, Natsu?” He turned towards his brother. “You doing okay?” 

Natsu collapsed, falling to his knees as he clutched at his chest, his eyes growing unfocused. 

“Natsu!” Juvia exclaimed, as all three of them lurched towards him. 

Pitiful moans escaped the dragon slayer, before he slumped over, Juvia just barely managing to catch him before he ended up face down on the ground. “Natsu, talk to me,” she said, her voice surprisingly calm, given the situation. “Tell me what’s wrong. Is it because of Acnologia?” 

“Hurts,” he whimpered. He clutched handfuls of Juvia’s dress, his claws shredding through the fabric. 

Gajeel grabbed Natsu by the scarf, yanking him away from Juvia, before pressing his ear to his brother’s chest. “What the hell…?” 

“What?” Lucy and Juvia demanded. 

“His heart, I thought it— It doesn’t sound  _ right,” _ Gajeel said. “It’s irregular, and  _ loud, _ and—” He yelped, dropping Natsu and jerking backwards from his brother, as he began to writhe on the ground, still groaning and clutching at his chest. 

“What’d you do that for?” Lucy reached out to help prop Natsu back up, but as soon as she touched his shoulder, she yanked her hand back, wincing at how hot the dragon slayer’s skin was. It felt like she’d just touched a burning stove! 

Acnologia roared again, and Lucy tried not to panic. 

_ “Natsu!” _ Gajeel shouted. 

Flames erupted around the dragon slayer, burning hotter than brimstone. 

* * *

Natsu panted, his entire body shaking as he forced himself onto his hands and knees. He was so  _ hot. _ How long had it been since he’d been hot? He’d practically forgotten what it  _ felt _ like. It was  _ awful.  _ He wanted to tear his skin off! Just for a little bit of relief… 

His heart felt like it was  _ exploding, _ each beat of the organ sending another wave of pain through his body. He had no idea if the way his blood was pulsing was thanks to that, or Acnologia’s close proximity. 

Fire and flames sprung to life around him, forcing Gajeel, Lucy, and Juvia to leap backwards, narrowly escaping the inferno. But as much as he tried, Natsu couldn’t force the fire away, like they weren’t  _ his _ flames, even though they were coming from his body. 

_ What’s going on? What’s happening to me!?  _

He fell forward, pressing his forehead against the ground with a groan, the pain still continuing to intensify. 

_ Natsu…  _

Natsu went rigid, forcing himself back up to wildly look around. “Dad?” That was  _ Igneel’s _ voice! He knew it was! “Dad!?” 

“God, he’s gone insane,” Gajeel muttered. 

“Dad? Dad, please!” Natsu shouted. “I know I—” He broke off, a fire so hot it felt like his body was burning from the inside out racing through him. The flames around him burned so brightly they blinded him. His body went rigid, before his spine bent backwards, his wings flaring wide. 

And Natsu  _ screamed.  _

* * *

Gajeel grabbed both women and threw them behind him, instinctively snapping his wings out to protect them from the heat and the fire. It was so  _ hot, _ that even from here he felt like he was going to burn. 

What the  _ hell  _ was wrong with his brother? This  _ couldn’t _ be some adverse reaction to Acnologia, not with Gajeel unaffected by whatever the  _ fuck _ this was. 

Bright light exploded from his brother’s chest, with even more fire following, and a thick, familiar magic blanketed everything around him. 

Gajeel’s eyes went wide. “There’s no way…” 

As draconic as his and his siblings’ magic felt, it still didn’t feel like  _ this.  _ Like pure  _ dragon _ magic. 

“What’s going on?” Lucy whimpered, peeking over Gajeel’s wing, Juvia soon following her lead. 

Natsu’s screaming turned ragged, taking on a much more animalistic tone, resembling a pained roar more than a human scream. 

“This is awful…” Juvia muttered. “Can’t we do anything for him?” 

Gajeel shook his head. Whatever was happening to his brother, something told him they just needed to let it happen. Interfering would do nothing except get them burned. “He was yellin’ for Igneel…” 

Gajeel had honestly long since given up trying to find their parents. They were gone. Probably dead or something. He’d never told Natsu or Wendy that, not wanting to upset them. So to suddenly feel like he was standing in Igneel’s presence, after assuming the fire dragon was dead for so long… 

Either Igneel was somehow returning, or Natsu was becoming a dragon in full. 

Gajeel wasn’t sure which scared him more. 

Because what would the dragons returning  _ mean _ at this point? 

Natsu screeched, the light and fire converging around him growing so bright that Gajeel had to shield his eyes. 

A second roar joined his brother’s, and the scent of fire and heat and  _ dragon _ filled his nose.

Gajeel jerked his hand back from his face, his jaw falling open as he watched Igneel emerge from the flames erupting from Natsu’s body. The fire dragon’s roar seemed to shake the very earth, louder than even Acnologia's. His massive wings flared wide, completely blocking out the heavens. His red scales blended with the flames, making it appear as if he was made from fire and brimstone itself. 

“Oh my god,” Juvia breathed. “A dragon… A real  _ dragon.”  _

“He’s _huge,”_ Lucy gasped. 

The girls had never seen a dragon like Igneel before. A  _ real _ dragon, everything a dragon should be. A dragon that perfectly encompassed their element. A dragon without the sickening aura of bloodlust that clung to Acnologia. 

A  _ dragon.  _

Gajeel felt tears prick at his eyes.

* * *

Natsu’s chest heaved. His body ached. Tears streamed down his cheeks, evaporating into steam before they could finish falling. 

But he didn’t care. 

“Dad… Is it—” This wasn’t real.  _ Was _ it real? How could it be? He’d been searching for Igneel for  _ so long, _ but found  _ nothing. _ And now… 

Now his father stood right in front of him. 

Igneel grinned, leaning down to nudge Natsu with his snout, causing him to tumble backwards. “As much as you’ve grown, you still can’t stay on your feet, can you?” 

“Dad? I—” Natsu bit back a sob. He had no idea what to even  _ say.  _

Igneel’s smile twisted into a snarl. “We’ll talk later.” He stretched his wings, settling back on his haunches. “Right now…” He turned his gaze to Acnologia, who had gotten  _ alarming _ close. “I have something else to take care of.” 

_ “Wait!”  _ Natsu scrambled up, reaching out his hand. He  _ couldn’t _ let Igneel go again. If he did, he might  _ never see him again. _ He  _ refused _ to let his father go  _ anywhere.  _

But the dragon ignored him, launching himself into the sky, and slamming into Acnologia. Even from the ground, Natsu could hear the awful tearing noises of talons slicing through scales and muscles, the crunch of teeth sinking into bones, rending flesh away with each bite. Pained and angry roars echoed over the battlefield, and had Natsu been standing directly below them, he was positive it would be raining dragon’s blood. 

“Did he really just—” He suddenly understood with absolute clarity why Erza always wanted to beat him when he charged into fights without consulting her first, and why Makarov was always so frustrated with him. If he made it out of this alive, he definitely owed them an apology. “I’ve got questions, you bastard!” he screamed at the sky. 

Gajeel realized what he was thinking a second too late. “Don’t you fucking dare, you’ll get torn to pieces!” He lunged for him, but Natsu was already springing into the sky. “You fucking moron!” 

Thankfully, Gajeel seemed to have forgotten he had his own wings now, not that he would have been able to fly without any practice yet anyways, so he didn’t try and follow Natsu. 

“Why did you leave!?” Natsu demanded, before slamming into Igneel’s shoulder, his claws screeching down his father’s scales as he clung onto him, not wanting to get swatted aside like a bothersome bug by the fighting dragons. “Where did you go!?” 

_ “Natsu!?”  _ Igneel risked a glance towards him, his eyes wide. “I told you we would talk later!” 

“No!” Like  _ hell _ he was letting this go and like  _ hell _ he was waiting! Not even Acnologia himself was going to keep him from the answers he wanted! The answers he  _ needed.  _ “No! I want to know! I want to know  _ why! _ Why you left, why you adopted me, why you never told me what my magic would do to me!” 

“Natsu, I can’t—” 

Acnologia shrieked, before aiming a breath attack at Igneel, that the dragon just barely managed to dodge. “I can’t do this right now, son!” 

Natsu lost his grip from the sudden movement, but before he could even steady himself in the air, Igneel grabbed him. “Get back!” 

“No!” Natsu wildly shook his head. “No, I won’t! Not when you—when you—” Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he couldn’t hold back his sobs anymore. “Not when you  _ left me!”  _ he wailed. 

Part of him was angry with Igneel. He’d never admitted it, not even to himself, but the dragon  _ had _ abandoned him, and from the looks of things, it had been  _ deliberate. _ So _of course_ Natsu was a little pissed about that. But mostly… Natsu was just  _ hurt.  _ Had he not been good enough? Had he done something wrong? Had Igneel simply grown tired of him? Had the dragon gotten annoyed with how difficult of a kid he’d been? 

Igneel sighed. There was no shame or irritation or sadness in his expression. Just cool neutrality. “I’m sorry, Natsu. I’m not going to offer you any excuses, but I will give an explanation  _ later. _ I  _ can’t _ right now.” 

Acnologia attacked again, causing Igneel to drop Natsu as he tried to block the black dragon’s slash of talons. 

“Fine,” Natsu relented, scrubbing the tears from his face. He supposed he could understand why they couldn’t do this right now. Never mind Igneel’s battle with Acnologia, Natsu needed to figure out what was going on with Tartaros. If Lisanna was okay. If Erza and Gray were okay. He had better things to do than try and force Igneel to talk to him. 

Grandine had always used to tell Natsu he’d picked up his stubborn streak from Igneel. If his father had decided he wasn’t going to explain until he was ready, then he wasn’t going to, and there wasn't a damn thing Natsu could do to change his mind, either. 

“I tell you what, though,” Igneel said, snatching Natsu out of the air before he could fly towards the ground, causing him to yelp. 

“Let me go!” 

“No, you brat,” he growled. “You want to be involved so bad, I’ve got a job for you.” 

Natsu froze. “A job?” 

“Yeah.” Igneel grinned at him. “A job. You take those, right? That’s what you guild wizards are known for, unless I’m mistaken.” 

“Yeah, only if you pay me,” he said, not even thinking about the words until they left his mouth. As soon as they did, he half expected his father to chuck him towards the ground, but he just looked surprised, and a little amused. 

“Fine, fine,” the dragon relented. “I’ll give you all the answers you want, about anything you could possibly think of.” 

Natsu immediately brightened, his wings twitching and his ears perking up. “Promise?” 

Igneel gave him a solemn nod. “I promise.” 

“Okay.” Natsu began to wrestle himself out of his father’s hold. “What do you want me to do?” 

“Look down there.” Igneel jerked him in the opposite direction. 

Natsu screeched, clinging onto his father’s talons, honestly a little surprised that particular maneuver hadn’t made him motion sick. 

“You see that demon? That your brothers are fighting against?” Igneel asked, before hissing as he dodged another one of Acnologia’s attacks. 

Natsu narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, not too far away from where he’d just been, Sting and Rogue were struggling against a Tartaros member. He didn’t bother to wonder why they were here, getting involved in this battle. It wasn’t like it mattered now. “Yeah, I see them.” 

“Good. That demon has a book. I want you to steal it from him,” Igneel said. 

“Huh?” 

“But whatever you do,  _ don’t _ open it,” he warned. “And don’t let anyone else open it either.” He shifted again, and Natsu began to squirm as he realized what the dragon was doing. 

“Wait, wait, wait, wait—!” 

Igneel launched him towards the ground, straight toward Sting and Rogue’s battle against the demon. 

Natsu growled, wishing his father had given him a little more information than that. But if he kept his word, and Natsu got him that book, then he’d get every answer he’d been searching for ever since the day Igneel had disappeared in the first place. 

He steadied himself in the air, then flew straight for the demon, fire already building in his palms. 

“You better keep you fucking promise, Dad.” 

* * *

_ Kyoka, we’re running into some issues, _ Mard Geer’s voice sounded in her head. 

Kyoka jerked back, breaking her stalemate with Erza. “Sir?” 

_ The Faces are not activating fast enough, even after Keyes and Seilah used the ex-chairman, _ he said.  _ We need them to activate  _ now, _ before these meddlesome humans kill any more of us or make this more difficult than it needs to be. _

Kyoka risked a glance towards the lacrima linked to the Faces, trying to tune out Seilah’s struggles against Mirajane. 

_ I want you to merge with the Faces, Kyoka,  _ Mard Geer said.  _ Merge with them, and force their activation to speed up.  _

Kyoka’s eyes widened, and she was so stunned, she didn’t bother to dodge Erza’s next attack, the Faerie’s sword slashing through her shoulder. 

She didn’t even react. 

“Kyoka!” Seilah shouted, breaking away from Mirajane and rushing to her side. 

Erza frowned, confusion in her eyes, no doubt over Kyoka suddenly freezing. 

“That will kill me,” Kyoka murmured. “Merging with Face like that, I’ll—I’ll die.” There was no way she  _ wouldn’t. _

_ Is that going to be a  _ fucking _ problem?  _ Mard Geer snapped. 

Seilah gasped. “Kyoka, you can’t! I think— I think we already lost Jackal, I can’t— I can’t lose you, too!” 

“What the hell are they talking about?” Mirajane asked, staggering forward to lean against Erza, who was still staring at Kyoka with wide eyes. 

“No, no it won’t,” Kyoka assured Mard Geer. “I will merge with them.” 

“No!” Seilah shouted. 

“If it is for our lord Zeref, I will do anything,” Kyoka swore. “Anything at all.” 

Erza lunged for her again, before Kyoka bounded backwards. Seilah was right. Jackal was probably dead, and if Seilah’s sorry condition was anything to go by, she wasn’t going to last another second against Mirajane in battle. She was barely standing as it was. 

And without Seilah and Jackal, what was the point? 

Hell, even  _ with _ Jackal and Seilah, what was the point? 

They had been created by and for Zeref. Kyoka could not put her own life above that. She couldn’t even put Seilah’s happiness above that. 

Seilah made a desperate grab for her, but Kyoka easily dodged it, lunging towards the lacrima linked with the Faces, and sinking her talons into it. “I offer you my life, Lord Zeref!” she shouted, forcing her body to absorb the power of the lacrima, the link with the Faces coming easily with the power. 

_ “NO!”  _ Seilah screeched. “Stop her!” She turned towards the Fairy Tail wizards, her eyes pleading and brimming with tears. “Stop her, please!” But both wizards were too stunned to act on the plea. 

“Seilah, you  _ filthy _ traitor,” Kyoka hissed. 

“I won’t lose you!” Seilah shouted, grabbing Kyoka’s wrist and trying to jerk her away from the lacrima. “I  _ command _ you—” 

Kyoka sliced her talons across Seilah’s throat, silencing her before she could finish her curse. 

Seilah choked, betrayal and confusion flitting across her face. Her hands jerked to her throat, desperately trying to stop the flow of black blood, even as she gurgled and fell to her knees. 

“What the hell did you just do?” Erza whispered, her voice horrified. Mirajane’s hands shot up to cover her mouth, though she was more shocked than upset by Kyoka’s actions. 

“Nothing can get in the way of Lord Zeref’s return,” Kyoka said, removing her hand from the lacrima as her body finished merging with it. “Not even those I care about.” 

Seilah’s body twitched once more, a pitiful cough escaping her, before she went still. 

Never to move again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel the need to warn y'all that there's about seven more chapters of action. The end is nigh, folks


	61. Shattered Battlefield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the arrival of the dragons, it's as if the battle against Tartaros has come to a screeching halt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would call this a bit of a cool down chapter? Except that's not really possible, considering everything going on, but it is a bit of a break from the intensity.

Lisanna slid down the crumbling brick wall, her takeover form finally fading away, after what felt like  _ hours, _ leaving her body sore and aching. She wasn’t used to holding onto a takeover form for so long,  _ especially _ fighting in one. She’d forgotten how draining it could be. She didn’t understand how Elfman and Mirajane managed it. But then again… they did practice and train a lot more than she did. 

“You okay, Lisanna?” Elfman asked as he sat down next to her, before rubbing the top of her head. 

She nodded. “Just sore.” She looked up at the sky. “And… a little worried.” She hadn’t let herself focus on Acnologia while they were still Tartaros demons to fight, but now most of the soldiers had been taken care of, and those that weren’t could be handled by the rest of the guild, giving her the opportunity to rest for a bit, and… actually worry about Natsu and Mirajane and everyone else that she didn’t know the exact location of. 

Elfman hummed, turning his gaze to the battling dragons in the sky. Lisanna swore she could feel the wind from their wingbeats, even from here. She could feel their roars and snarls within her heartbeat. It would probably be smart to run and take cover, but even if she weren’t exhausted, Lisanna didn’t see much of a point. 

Acnologia could annihilate a whole island, and how there was a  _ second _ dragon here. True, he seemed to be fighting against the black dragon, but even if he managed to defeat Acnologia, who was to say that he wouldn’t just turn on them? If these dragons wanted to kill them, no amount of running or hiding or fighting would be able to stop them. 

She felt a little guilty over being so wary and scared of all dragons. She knew how much Natsu loved them, and while she did believe him when he said not all dragons were bad and wanted to hurt humans (how could they when they had raised him and his siblings?), but well… who could blame her for being scared of the dragons, when the only experience she had with them was them trying to kill her and everyone she cared about? When she had only ever seen them fighting and trying to destroy everything around her? First Tenrou, then Crocus, and now Magnolia itself… 

(Although Magnolia was already in ruins, thanks to the battle against Tartaros, if Lisanna was being honest). 

That… and how could she ever go anywhere without her family? Her friends? The people she cared about? No one had seen Erza or Gray in a while, she hadn’t seen Natsu since they had separated, Wendy was missing, no one had seen Gajeel or Levy since Kinana and Laki had returned, no one had seen Juvia in even longer, Cana had broken away to search for Lucy, who was missing as well, even Laxus had run off on his own not too long ago.  _ Of course _ she wasn’t going to run away and abandon Magnolia without them, and she knew they would never leave until this enemy had been defeated, or they went down fighting. 

Lisanna had never wanted to die fighting in a battle. Actually, if you asked anyone she knew, they would probably say they didn’t want to die fighting. 

But she knew that wasn’t true. 

People like Erza, like Gray, like Elfman and Laxus, like Gajeel or Wendy, like  _ Natsu, _ it only made sense for them to eventually die in battle. It broke Lisanna’s heart, but she knew they would never stop fighting, and eventually one day, they would bite off more than they could chew, they would slip up, and that would be the end. 

She’d be more surprised if they  _ didn’t _ die fighting. They might  _ say _ they wouldn’t want to die in a fight, but she knew they had all said they probably  _ would _ die in battle, and they certainly hadn’t seemed broken up about it. In fact, they had seemed fairly proud of such a thing, as if that was the perfect end for fighters such as themselves. 

As much as she wanted to, Lisanna couldn’t fault them for that. 

She could only hope that it wasn’t this battle that they lost themselves to. 

“Mira’s okay, right?” Lisanna asked. Of course, she knew that Elfman didn’t  _ know _ if she was or wasn’t, but she needed to hear her big brother tell her everything was going to be okay. She just  _ needed _ that right now. Surrounded by the carnage of dragons and demons, she needed any bit of solace and comfort she could find. 

“Of course she will be!” Elfman assured her, slapping her shoulder. “Demons are Mira’s specialty. I’m sure she’s already defeated them all and has absorbed their souls!” 

Lisanna hugged her knees to her chest. Unfortunately, the words hadn’t calmed her down as much as she had hoped they would. 

“We just have to hang on a little longer, okay?” Elfman assured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Everyone’s going to get out of this alright.” 

The dragons crashed into the ground, causing the entire world to tremble. 

She doubted that was true. 

* * *

Cana bit back a hiss as she stumbled. Damn those goddamn dragons, could they not at least keep their pissing contest in the fucking  _ sky? _ It was difficult enough to avoid the wild breath attacks that they didn’t bother trying to control, and now they had to bring their fight to the ground, as well? 

All she wanted to do was find her girlfriend! She hadn’t seen Lucy since the Alegria spell had separated them all. She’d lost Gray, too, but she was significantly less worried about him. It wasn’t that she doubted Lucy’s abilities or fighting prowess, just… she wasn’t as  _ used _ to these kinds of things, and Cana didn’t want her to end up panicking because she was alone or wasn’t sure what to do. 

She was encountering less and less demons, though. So either they had mostly been defeated, or were fleeing due to the fighting dragons. 

Well… if they were running, they were smarter than every bastard in Fairy Tail. Not a single member had even  _ suggested _ running when the dragons arrived. At least, not until everyone in the guild was accounted for, which would be difficult, considering how many people were missing at the moment. 

Technically, Cana was probably considered missing, since she’d run off on her own. 

She sighed and shook her head. It didn’t matter. She had to find Lucy. 

* * *

In all the years that she had known him, Juvia had never seen Gajeel so… emotional. It was incredibly strange, to see tears in his eyes, or such awe and fear in his expression, but given everything going on, Juvia could not say that she was surprised. 

It wasn’t hard to figure out that Gajeel had been through something awful, considering the wounds all over his body, or the new wings stuck to his back. Couple that with the fact that Acnologia had resurfaced, and another dragon had appeared (who was evidently Natsu’s  _ father), _ well, Juvia would be more concerned if he  _ didn’t _ have some kind of emotional response. Not even Gajeel could be that emotionless. 

But she couldn’t focus on Gajeel right now. At least he was  _ alive, _ she could focus on trying to help him and fix his injuries after they got out of this disaster. 

She was more concerned over  _ Gray. _ She hadn’t seen or heard from him ever since he’d disappeared during their fight. 

But now that she was focusing on him, she could sense his presence through their bond, so at least she knew that he was  _ alive. _ However, if the pain and anguish and sorrow she felt twinging through the link was any indication, he was far cry from okay. 

If Keyes really hadn’t been lying… it was possible Gray had just had to watch his father die for a second time. 

Juvia took a deep breath. She wished she knew more about how the bond worked, but it went both ways. Perhaps she could try and share some… more positive feelings with him. Or at the least, she could clamp down on her own anxiety and pain, to spare him from dealing with her own negative feelings. 

However, the second she tried to reach out towards him, feeling through the bond with him, she was shut out. 

Juvia twitched, a deep frown etched on her face. She didn’t know that was even  _ possible. _ Gray could shut her out? Did that mean she could shut  _ him _ out? Not that she wanted to… but he’d never done that before, or even indicated that he might  _ want _ to, so what was wrong now? Had whatever he’d just gone through been so awful that he didn’t even want her—

She sucked in a sharp breath, tears pricking at her eyes.  _ Gray, I’m so sorry.  _

* * *

Meredy’s entire body trembled, her emotions and thoughts shifting so rapidly she couldn’t keep up with them. She didn’t know what she had expected, after forcing a link with so many people. So many  _ volatile _ people with so many conflicting emotions, but there had been no other way. She firmly believed that. 

If she hadn’t linked herself to the Oracion Seis, they would have fled the second she and Jellal had released them. Why should they fight for them,  _ with _ them? Against a foe as undefeatable as Tartaros? Forcing them to watch her back and keep her from dying was the only possible way Meredy could think of to get them to actually fight with them. 

A bolt of fear shot through Meredy, so sudden that she stumbled a few paces. She whipped around, trying to figure out which member it had come from. 

“Cobra?” Midnight questioned, laying their hand on the dragon slayer’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?” 

Cobra stared at the horizon, his body rigid and his eyes wide. “I can hear them, and smell them, and god… god, I didn’t think—” 

“What?” Jellal demanded. 

Cobra shook his head. “These aren’t like the ones in the capital. I can tell. They’re far more powerful.” He held his hand over his nose, like if he managed to block the scent, whatever he was talking about wouldn’t exist. “Tartaros might have just become the least of our worries.” 

_ “What?” _ Jellal and Meredy snapped in unison. What could be bad enough that it put fucking  _ Tartaros _ on the back burner!? 

The Faces all over Fiore were already glowing, beginning to activate. They had next to no time to stop their activation, or try and destroy the weapons themselves. They didn’t have time to deal with something else at the same time! They would lose magic for sure! 

“Dragons,” Cobra said. “Two, I think.” 

“But there are no more dragons!” Sorano argued, her voice rising in pitch, getting so shrill that Meredy almost told her to shut up. “Dragons are  _ gone!”  _

“Except Acnologia,” Jellal gasped. 

Meredy squeaked, and she knew the fear she felt was definitely her own this time. Despite the seven years that had passed, Meredy knew she would never forget Acnologia’s terrifying power, how he had completely annihilated Tenrou, and every single Fairy Tail member, with the ease of crushing a bug. 

Cobra was right. The dragons that had attacked the capital were nowhere  _ near _ Acnologia’s caliber. 

“Th-That can’t be true!” Sorano began to protest. 

“Do you think I’m  _ lying!?” _ Cobra snapped. 

“It makes sense,” Jellal muttered, his voice shaky. “This is what happened on Tenrou, isn’t it, Meredy? You were there, you would know.” He turned his gaze to the horizon. They were only a few miles out from Magnolia now, so if the dragon was truly there… “Acnologia arrived because he sensed powerful magic clashing. And if Fairy Tail fighting against Grimoire Heart was enough to summon him, then  _ of course _ a war against Tartaros could accomplish the same thing!” 

“No way.” Racer shook his head. “There is no way in hell you’re making me go there! I’m  _ not _ getting slaughtered by a dragon for no damn reason!” 

“Y-Yeah!” Sorano agreed. “I’ve got better things to do!” 

Jellal gave Meredy a pained look, and she  _ knew _ he was thinking about Erza. He was doing this for  _ her, _ even if he claimed defeating Tartaros was for the good of everyone. He wanted to protect her, to make sure she was alright, to fight by her side. 

“Jellal…” Meredy hated to do this. She really did. After Ultear’s death, she knew all too well what it felt like to lose those that you cared about. 

But it was one thing to face Tartaros. 

Acnologia was something else entirely. 

Against Tartaros, they had a chance. A small chance, a miniscule one, but a  _ chance. _ But against the black dragon of the apocalypse? 

They wouldn’t last a second. Not even with Fairy Tail at their backs. 

Perhaps if it was just Meredy, she would have followed Jellal into that hell, but even if she did not like or trust the Oracion Seis, she could not in good conscience lead them into a slaughter like that. “Jellal, we can’t go.” 

“I—” he began. 

“No, we  _ can’t.” _ Meredy gestured to the Oracion Seis. “They won’t, and… and  _ I _ won’t.” As much as she wanted to see Ultear again, Meredy knew it would break her girlfriend’s heart if she knew Meredy had willingly walked into her death like that. “I’m not going to die for no reason. If I thought— If I thought there was even a  _ chance _ we could help them, I would follow you into hell. But there’s nothing we can do, and I won’t die for that.” 

Every member of the Oracion Seis collectively let out a breath of relief. 

“Meredy, I can’t abandon Erza like that,” Jellal said. “I—I  _ can’t. _ I can’t lose her again.” 

“Jellal,  _ no,” _ Meredy said, her voice firm. “We are not going to Magnolia.” 

“Meredy—!” 

“Uh oh, mom and dad are fighting,” Sorano whispered into Midnight’s ear, causing both them and Corba to snicker. 

Meredy ignored them, not having the time nor the patience to deal with that. “I never said we would run away with our tails between our legs and do nothing to help, though,” she continued. “Just that we aren’t going to follow you into the jaws of death.” 

Jellal narrowed his eyes. “Then  _ what, _ exactly, are you suggesting we do?” 

“Help destroy the Faces themselves,” Meredy said. “Princess Hisui just asked for guilds around Fiore to destroy them. I don’t know if they’ll actually be able to manage it or not, but it’s a better option than trying to help Fairy Tail against Acnologia and the forces of Hell combined. The best thing you can do for Erza, is making sure that she does not lose her magic, her greatest weapon, while she’s locked in a war.” 

Jellal lunged forward, grabbing Meredy by the shoulders, a retort already building on his tongue, but then he snapped his mouth shut, and bowed his head. “You’re right. I-I know you’re right. I can’t— I can’t let my personal attachments get in our way.” He took a deep breath, and let go of her. “We’ll split up. Cobra and Midnight will come with me, everyone else will go with you.” 

Meredy frowned, and almost accused Jellal of trying to sneak off to Magnolia anyways, but she stopped herself. He wouldn’t lie to her like that. “Fine.” He was right, after all. For the best chance of stopping the Faces, they  _ should _ split up. 

“And please, unlink Cobra and Midnight, Meredy,” he insisted. “I can’t have them getting distracted by your emotions.” 

“No!” Meredy protested. “They’ll run! They’ll stab you in the back, and—” 

“Tell me where I’ve got to go?” Cobra interrupted. “Without magic, what the hell am I supposed to do? You think I  _ want _ a world overrun with demons and dragons?” 

Midnight nodded in agreement. “And we would never leave without the rest of our team. Having just one of us linked to you was enough to keep the rest of us by your side.” 

Meredy didn’t believe that for a  _ second, _ but she supposed they had a point about fighting being the best option for them at the moment. “Fine,” she relented. “Fine, I’ll unlink you. You just better do your fucking jobs.” 

* * *

“Hey, Heartfilia.” Gajeel nudged Lucy’s shoulder, before dumping Laxus’s bloody coat into her arms. “Get that to the healer lady, will ya? I’ll follow behind with Laxus, and Ju can get Levy, but she needs that demon blood pretty quick, from what I understand.” 

Lucy’s fingers curled into the coat, black blood soaking into her palms. “But you’re hurt,” she protested. Gajeel needed to be healed himself. There was  _ no way _ he was going to be able to carry Laxus  _ anywhere. _

Gajeel bared his teeth. “I’m the only here who’s got a chance at all of carrying him, and he needs to be healed  _ now.” _

Juvia stood up, and stomped towards Gajeel. “Lucy’s right, Gajeel. You’re injured, and you can’t carry Laxus. You stay here with Levy, she’s starting to wake up, and after she  _ is _ awake, you can follow after us.  _ I _ will carry Laxus.” 

“How the  _ hell _ are you gonna—” 

Juvia waved her hand, and puddles of water shifted towards her, before she directed it towards Laxus, pooling it beneath his body. “I can use my magic.” She splayed her fingers, and the water lifted off the ground, Laxus floating on top of it. “It’s about as difficult as flexing my pinky finger.” 

Gajeel huffed. “I guess that works.” 

“It does.” Juvia nodded curtly. “Now come on, Lucy. We need to get to Porlyusica. Like I said, Gajeel, catch up after Levy wakes up.” 

“R-Right.” She clutched the coat to her chest, and chased after the water mage, hoping they reached Porlyusica in time to save Laxus and the rest of his team. 

* * *

With a pained groan, Minerva forced herself back to her feet. It seemed the world was finally coming apart at the seams, and like hell she was going to face that alone, cowering, in a dark hallway. Despite the pain in her body, how confused she was, she did know one thing. 

She knew, that if this really was the end, she wanted to spend it by Sting and Rogue’s side, fighting. 

If she was going to die, she didn’t want to die alone. 


	62. The Fairy's Secret

Sting thrashed, determined to free himself from the thick, thorny vines wrapping around his limbs. Steaming blood dripped from his body as his skin was shredded by the thorns, the tears and cuts torn even deeper by his struggles. 

“Sting!” Rogue shouted, no doubt able to smell his blood in the air. “Sting, calm down!” 

“No!” he gasped, only struggling harder against the constraints. He wouldn’t  _ die _ like this, strangled by this demon’s fucking plant things! He’d rather force himself to bleed out trying to escape than just roll over and take this!

“I’m trying to get to you,” Rogue hissed. “Just hang on!” Thanks to his shadow ability, it was extremely easy for him to slip out of the vines, even if he did manage to get caught up in them, but that only meant that Mard Geer was all too interested in actually  _ fighting _ Rogue. 

Sting snarled, trying to twist so he could sink his teeth into the vine around his wrist. Surely he could at least  _ chew _ through it! 

All this because he’d slipped up. He was a liability, because he’d gotten  _ distracted.  _

True, Acnologia was probably a fair thing to get distracted by, as well as Igneel’s sudden reappearance, but that was still no excuse to let his guard down during a fight. 

He sank his teeth into the vines. He’d never once wished he’d had the terrifying, shearing fangs that his siblings had before, but by god did he wish he had them now as he rocked his head, tearing away small sections of the vines, but nowhere near enough to be truly effective. 

Giving up with a huff, Sting twisted again, trying to catch a glimpse of Rogue, to make sure he was fairing okay against the demon, not that he would have been able to do much if he wasn’t. A mass of shadows flashed in the corner of his eye, followed by a grunt of pain from Mard Geer, which was probably a good sign. 

The vines wound their way up Sting’s chest, brushing the base of his neck. 

_ Oh, that’s not good. _ He renewed his struggles, crying out as the thorns sank even deeper. 

_ “Sting!”  _ Rogue shouted again, before yelping, the thick scent of Rogue’s blood following the concerning noise. 

“You better pay attention to me,” Mard Geer said, his voice as irritatingly smooth as ever. “Else you’ll end up in the same sorry position as the other dragon slayer over there.” 

Thorns sliced into Sting’s throat, the vines squeezing too tight for comfort. “Rogue…” he gasped, just before his airflow was cut off. 

His eyes widened, and he yanked against the vines, trying to reach the vines around his throat with his hands so he could pull them away, but even as his muscles burned, he still couldn’t budge them, the vines not loosening on a single part of his body. 

His vision began to go dark at the corners, and his lungs burned. Awful wheezing filled his ears, his  _ own _ wheezing. 

_ Am I really gonna die here?  _ Before they  _ actually _ saved Minerva? Before he could truly spend time with his siblings and get to know them again? Before he could ever express to Yukino how truly sorry he was? Before he could convince Natsu to set him up with his hot ice mage friend, despite how much Gajeel had tried to convince him it wouldn’t happen? 

That wasn’t  _ fair!  _

Or maybe it was fair. He’d killed his own father, after all. He’d done horrible things in Sabertooth, turned his back on Yukino when she needed him most. 

Maybe it was only fair for him to be strangled by demonic vines. 

Saliva dripped down his chin. His body felt like it was about to  _ explode. _ He had a feeling he was only a few seconds from passing out, and unless Rogue managed to pull something off insanely quick, he was probably going to die here. 

His eyes drooped closed, the last of his awareness fading away. 

Heat blazed through the air, and he was weightless, the vines wrapped around his skin crumbling into ashes. 

He slammed into the ground, ashes billowing up around him as he coughed and wheezed, forcing his eyes open. Fire blazed around him, but it was so blurry it looked more like pretty lights than something dangerous. 

“Hey, Sting?” Natsu leaned over him, his face slowly coming into focus. “You okay?” 

Sting blinked a few times, but managed to give his brother a thumbs up. “Still breathing,” he wheezed. 

Natsu nodded. “Good. Now stay back.” He shifted into a fight stance, flaring his wings wide and baring his teeth. “I’ll handle him.” 

* * *

Lucy rounded a corner, before slamming into another person with a yelp, dropping Laxus’s coat and falling backwards into Juvia. 

“Shit,” Cana groaned from her place on the ground, before pushing herself back up. “Watch where you’re going, babe.” 

“Sorry!” Lucy exclaimed, grabbing Laxus’s coat. “What are you doing out here alone!?”  _ Anything _ could have happened to Cana! 

“Looking for you!” she said. “And you look… rough.” Her eyebrows pinched in concern. “You look _very_ rough. Are you okay?” 

Lucy took a shaky breath. No, she was pretty damn far from okay. She was hurt, she was scared, and she’d just had to sacrifice her oldest friend, someone who had been almost like a mother to her. But now wasn’t the time to get into that, and Laxus and the Thunder Legion needed the attention way more than she did. “I’ll be okay,” she told her girlfriend. She held the coat out. “We have to get this to Porlyusica. Gajeel said it could fix Laxus and his team.” 

“Shit.” Cana glanced behind Lucy to Laxus and Juvia. “We better hurry up then. Last time I looked at them, they looked pretty rough. And Porlyusica doesn’t sugarcoat shit. She doesn’t think they’re going to make it.” 

“Well hopefully this will change that,” Juvia said. “But we need to hurry.” 

“Right.” Cana nodded. “Let’s go then.” 

* * *

As gently as she could, Juvia deposited Laxus in between Freed and Evergreen, as Lucy gave Porlyusica the dragon slayer’s bloodied coat. 

“This will help, right?” she asked. “The blood?” 

Porlyusica sighed. “Hopefully, yes.” She examined the black stains, her frown deepening. “It’ll be frustrating to work with like this, but I can manage.” She shot Lucy a look. “Why don’t you find somewhere safe to sit down and take a rest? I can tell your magic is gone, young lady. If you don’t give your body the chance to recover, you’re going to pass out, and then you’ll just be another nuisance for me to keep an eye on.” 

Lucy didn’t even bother trying to argue. “Y-Yes, ma’am.” She stumbled off to curl up next to Lisanna and Elfman, with Cana following after her. 

Juvia gnawed at her lip. Cana was right. Evergreen, Freed, and Bixlow looked just as awful as Laxus did, and they didn’t even have the excuse of fighting against a demon, like the dragon slayer did. “Will it really help?” she asked. 

Porlyusica didn’t bother to look at her as she wrung as much blood as she could out of the coat, letting it drip into containers she’d pulled out of her bag. “Honestly, I’m not too sure.” Once she could no longer get even a drop out of the fabric, she tossed the garment aside. “I will certainly do what I can for them. But I’m working with limited supplies, and trying to counter bane particles. It’s a precarious situation.” 

Juvia nodded. “Is there anything I can do?” 

“No,” Porlyusica said, much too quickly, like she wanted Juvia to just shut up and leave her alone. Which wouldn’t surprise the water mage, honestly she was surprised the healer hadn’t told her to shut up and fuck off already. “Unless someone can actually find me Wendy, it’d be best if you bastards just left me the hell alone.” 

There it was. “Okay.” She stepped back. The healer was right, after all. Juvia had no kind of healing magic, nor did she have the medical knowledge that Porlyusica did. The best she could do was maybe clean wounds, or bandage them, and that wasn’t what the Thunder Legion needed. 

She briefly considered doubling back to find Gajeel and Levy again, but they would probably be fine. From the looks of things, most of the Tartaros demons were either dead or had fled. Besides, there was a decent chance the pair was already on their way here to everyone else, and she didn’t need to get lost by herself. 

So Juvia went and sat down, pressed against a wall. She stared at the sky, at both the dragons still tearing into each other. 

With a shudder, she realized why Gajeel and the other slayers were so vicious, if this was truly one of the beasts that had raised them. She couldn’t help but marvel at the similar fighting techniques that Gajeel, Natsu, and Wendy shared with the dragons, and she didn't just mean the breath attacks. Even the ways they twisted to dodge, to kick, to claw and bite, it was so,  _ so _ similar. 

She sighed, letting her head thump against the wall, closing her eyes, and trying to tune out the sounds of the dragon’s battle. 

She just needed a few minutes to rest, and then she would get back up, see what else needed to be done, to get them out of this war. 

* * *

The world reformed around them, and Wendy didn’t even pay attention to where they’d landed this time, instead leaning over and rubbing Mest’s back, making sure he was okay as he keeled over. “Mest?” 

“I’m fine,” he assured her, though his chest heaved. “It’s just a bit like sprinting one too many steps.” 

_ “Wendy!?” _ Cana demanded. “The  _ fuck _ happened to you?” 

Wendy sighed, really not feeling like it explaining it, although, as she looked around the small open area she found herself in, to see Cana, Lucy, Elfman, Lisanna, Juvia, as well as a handful of other members, she realized she probably wasn’t going to have a choice. “I—” 

She snapped her mouth shut with an audible click, the horrifyingly familiar sensation of Acnologia’s presence racing through her blood, and she looked to the sky. Roars filled her ears, and she had no idea how she hadn’t noticed them sooner, even with Mest teleporting them as fast as he possibly could and with as few stops as he could manage. “Igneel!” Her hands shot up to cover her mouth. 

Did that mean… Had that  _ really _ been Grandine she’d talked to? And not just some hopeful hallucination her mind had conjured to help her come to terms with her decisions? Because… because if Igneel had really returned, then didn’t that mean that Grandine could be coming back, too? 

“We don’t have time for that right now, child.” Porlyusica grabbed Wendy’s wrist and yanked her towards the people lying on the ground, looking worse than corpses. “I need your help if I’m going to save their lives.” 

“Right!” Wendy folded her wings behind her back, and listened as Porlyusica explained the situation, how she was in the middle of creating an antidote for the bane particles, but she needed Wendy to help keep Laxus and his team stable with her magic while she did so. 

“Where’s Natsu and Gajeel?” she asked. She couldn’t smell them anywhere nearby, but with Acnologia so close, she was worried about them. 

“Last I saw of them they were ok—” Juvia began, before cutting herself off. “They were alive.” 

Wendy frowned, not liking the water mage’s sudden correction, but at least they were alive, and she supposed that was all that really mattered. She could fix the damage they might have later. 

“We’re thinking about going to look for them,” Happy said as he bounded towards her. “Me and Pantherlily, I mean.” 

“I’ll help as well,” Charle said. 

Wendy bit at her lip, before wincing. Sure, she’d had fangs before, but they hadn’t been this big or sharp. Not to mention  _ more _ of her teeth had become fangs than she’d already had. “If you do that, please just be careful.” 

“Of course!” Charle exclaimed, before butting her head against Wendy’s shins. “Happy, Lily, let’s go.” 

All three Exceeds snapped their wings out, soaring deeper into the battleground. 

Wendy got to work, kneeling down next to Laxus, holding her hand over his chest, feeling out for the poison so she could do her best to halt it. 

Before she could do much to help, a heartbroken wail distracted her, and Mest collapsed next to one of the still bodies. 

Wendy turned her head away. Though she could still hear Lahar’s heartbeat, it was extremely faint, and she’d seen the extent of the damage on his body before the battle had even begun. She doubted even her magic would be able to save him at this point. 

Porlyusica hushed Mest, before scolding him. “Don’t touch him or jostle him around!” she snapped. “That will undo the miniscule amount of things I’ve managed to do for him, got it?” 

Meat didn’t reply. He just stared at Lahar with big, tear filled eyes. “He’s all I have… He— He—” 

Wendy turned her attention back to Laxus, not sure if she could handle listening to Mest mourn Lahar and not break down herself. She’d seen some nasty things from her days working in the infirmary and helping Porlyusica, but she still had yet to… to actually witness someone die. Even Lisanna’s “death” had been detached, considering she’d never even seen her body (and the fact that she had never actually been dead in the first place). 

“Wendy, focus,” Porlyusica urged. “Or Lahar isn’t going to be the only one we lose.” 

She forced herself to nod. “R-Right, Miss Porlyusica.” 

* * *

Mavis should have known that something odd was going on when Makarov approached the ruins of the guildhall on his own. He would never abandon the guild during a battle such as this. Not without good reason. 

“Ah, First Master,” he said when he saw her sitting among the rubble. “Watching the battle from afar, I see.” 

Mavis frowned, but she sensed no malice or backhandedness from the statement. Makarov had not said that as a way to imply he thought she should be helping them. As if she even could in the form that she had. “Yes.” 

“And what do you think?” he questioned. 

Her frown deepened. Honestly, Mavis had no idea what Makarov knew and what he didn’t. He was a very clever man, and had been around for a very long time. Who knew what he might have learned from Precht or Warrod, or even from searching for answers on his own. “I think… that this battle is a tough one,” she finally said, not sure what else Fairy Tail’s current master expected from her. “But why are you here, Makarov?” she asked, nothing but cool curiosity in her tone, even though she was fairly certain she’d figured it out. “Why not help fight? Or at least be there for your guild. You think of them as your children, do you not?” 

Makarov sighed. “You know as well as I do,  _ better _ even, what lies beneath this guildhall.” 

“Ah.” Mavis stared at the ground, as if she looked hard enough, she could see through the rubble and the foundation, to the secrets that lied beneath. “So you are here for it.” 

“You don’t approve,” he said. 

Mavis shook her head. “No, I most certainly do not.” 

Makarov closed his eyes and nodded, an almost resigned feeling coming from him. “I’m on the fence myself, but I thought it better to at least be close to it, in case I do need to activate it.” 

“It’s not meant for this,” Mavis said, her voice firm. The Lumen Histoire was  _ never _ meant for this. Not a battle, not even a war. 

“Then what  _ is _ it meant for?” Makarov asked. 

Mavis did not answer. She didn’t even allow her expression to change. That was one secret she had never told a single soul. Not Yuri, not Precht, not Warrod, not Zeref. 

Makarov chuckled. “And here I thought I might actually get some answers out of you at a time like this.” 

“Answers will come soon enough,” Mavis assured him. “Though I’m afraid you won’t like them.” 

“Oh?” 

Mavis curled her toes, letting the crumbled brick get stuck in between them. “No one ever likes the answers.” 


	63. Archenemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wizards throughout Fiore decide to destroy the Face weapons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we get to see some characters that have been missing for a while!!

Faint, sickly light bathed Crocus, illuminating from the Face weapons surrounded the capital. “Princess,” Yukino said, as she pulled her jacket over her shoulders, before buckling it closed. “I’m going out to help.” 

Hisui sighed, refusing to tear her gaze away from the Faces silhouetted against the horizon. “If you think it will help.” Truthfully, she didn’t think that a single wizard’s interference would stop any of this, but she wasn’t going to tell Yukino that. 

Yukino shot her a worried glance, and walked over to wrap her arm around Hisui’s shoulders, and she leaned into her touch. “You think it’s useless.” 

Hisui bit her lip. “I don’t know…” Ever since the Eclipse Gate, she hadn’t been able to make her mind up about anything at all. When she’d asked Fiore’s guilds to help destroy the Faces, she had honestly expected all of them to tell her to fuck off, considering where her leadership had gotten them last time. But then again… they were probably only following her request because it was in their better interest, and nothing else. “I’m not telling you not to fight, just that—” 

“I won’t leave if you don’t want me to,” Yukino assured her, before planting a soft kiss to Hisui’s temple. 

Hisui took a deep breath. She honestly wasn’t quite sure what her relationship with Yukino might be at this point, but she knew that it went far beyond what she  _ should _ have with someone who was merely supposed to be her bodyguard. But so long as her father never found out about it, then it didn’t matter. “No, if you feel like you need to go help, go help. After all… I’m not the one losing anything. It’s you that’s in danger.” 

“I can live without magic,” Yukino said, though she sounded far from okay with it. “Sure, it’s important to me, and I enjoy it, and I’d miss my spirits, but…” She shrugged. “You’re more important, and I’m sure I’ll be able to find my sister without it, too.” Then she smiled. “Besides, your father would have my head if I left you alone at a time like this.” 

“That is true,” Hisui chuckled, pressed closer to her bodyguard. “But I still don’t feel right keeping you from this. What if I came with you?” 

“That’s dangerous!” Yukino protested. 

Hisui scoffed. “Nowhere near as dangerous as it was when there were literal dragons in the city. I can handle it.” 

Yukino pulled back, shifting from foot to foot. “Are you sure?” 

“Of course I’m sure. I may not have any magic, but that doesn’t mean I want it to disappear,” she said. “For your sake, or anyone else’s.” 

“Alright, then.” Yukino took Hisui’s hand. "Let's go." 

* * *

Zeref watched with morbid fascination as more and more of Magnolia was destroyed. He could admit, that this was one of the most entertaining things he had seen in centuries. Even Alvarez wasn’t nearly as entertaining as this battle was. Not yet, anyways.

Perhaps Mavis had been right. Maybe Fairy Tail’s struggle against Tartaros really  _ would _ be the beginning of the end. It certainly did seem as if the world itself was going to implode. 

Never mind the fact that the most powerful demons of all time were clashing against the most powerful wizards in the world, now even the dragons had been summoned. 

“It has been some time, Igneel.” He knew it was only a matter of time before Igneel and the rest of the dragons made their reappearance. He may not have known the specifics of their plan, but he did know that the dragons certainly weren’t  _ dead. _ He remembered the grief and the confusion four hundred years ago, when the last of the great beasts had vanished from the world, many people fearing that Acnologia had succeeded in his mission of completely wiping them out, but Zeref knew better. 

He had no idea if he would ever get the chance to speak with one of his oldest friends again, though. Even if Igneel managed to defeat Acnologia and didn’t die in the process, Zeref could sense it. He’d become so attuned with the feelings of death over his horrifically long lifespan, and he could tell that the dragon was barely clinging to life as it was. Zeref had no idea why that might be, if whatever Igneel had done to keep himself sealed away for so long had drained him of his very life force, but it wasn’t like it mattered. 

He was as good as dead. 

Natsu certainly wasn’t going to react well to that. 

Zeref sighed. He was more than disappointed that Natsu hadn’t realized what he was yet, his true nature. But then again, his brother never had been the brightest or most observant. Zeref really couldn’t fault him. Knowing Natsu, he was going to have to have every little detail spelled out for him to truly grasp it. 

But Zeref was also a little irked that none of his other Etherious had figured it out. Even a couple members of dark guilds had put the pieces together, Ultear Milkovich, Jellal Fernandes, to name a few, but not even Natsu’s fellow Etherious could manage that much? It was pathetic, just another reason his experiments had failed so horribly. 

Even  _ if _ any of his demons managed to walk away from this battle, Zeref had decided he wasn’t going to let them continue with their futile little missions anymore. This war and this plan of theirs was the best they were ever going to come up with, and if they couldn’t even succeed now, then they never would in the future, after so many of them had already managed to get themselves killed. It was better to just put them out of their misery and get them out of his way. 

Zeref tuned back into the battle, harsh ringing in his ears as Igneel and Acnologia roared again. Whatever the case, if Natsu hadn’t figured it out by now, this probably wasn’t going to be the battle that clued him in. 

Zeref was going to have to tell him himself one day. 

He smiled. 

_ I’ll finally be reunited with him.  _

* * *

Chelia stared up at the giant pillar. “Lyon, how are we supposed to destroy something like that?” she asked. How could they destroy even  _ one _ of them, let alone multiple different ones? 

Lyon laid his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, okay?” But she could hear it in his voice, he was uncertain, too. “We at least have to try.” 

Chelia nodded. “I know that! I know…” She took a deep breath, and grabbed handfuls of her skirt. “Do you think they’re okay?” 

Lyon frowned. “Who?” 

“Fairy Tail…” Chelia wasn’t really close with any of the members. Actually, she barely knew them at all. She’d spoken to a few of the members during the Grand Magic Games, but that was really it. However, as soon as she’d learned that the worst of the battle was in Magnolia, with the Fairy Tail guild on the front lines against the demons responsible for this awful plan to steal magic from the world, she'd been filled with dread and concern. 

“Ah. I’m sure they’ll be okay, Chelia,” he assured her. “They’re practically rabid, I think. It’ll take more than a few demons to do them in. Hell, they’ve handed my ass to me, on a couple occasions.” Then he frowned. “Never tell Gray I said that.” 

Chelia hid a smile behind her hand. She’d forgotten that Lyon had a brother in the guild. He didn’t talk about Gray very often, but she could tell that he really cared for him. “I won’t.” 

“Good.” Lyon elbowed her. “And I won’t tell anyone that you’re pining after the dragon slayer.” 

Pink raced across Chelia’s face, all the way to the tips of her ears. “Lyon!” 

He laughed at her. “What? You’re not subtle, but luckily for you, no one in that guild can figure out emotions worth a damn. They probably didn’t notice. Besides, why else would you be so worried over them?” he asked. “It’s not like you’re actually close with any of the members.” 

“Because I’m a good person!” Chelia argued. “I’m a good person who worries about people, even if I don’t know them!” 

“Alright, alright,” Lyon relented. 

“I’ll tell the water wizard that you liked her!” Chelia continued. 

Lyon scoffed. “Please, I wasn’t lowkey. If she doesn't figure it out, that’s her own fault.” 

Chelia huffed and crossed her arms. See if she ever confided in Lyon again. Sure, she was worried about Wendy, why wouldn’t she be? But she also knew that Wendy was more than capable of handling herself. She’d seen the way she fought in the Games, and heard about how she had faced a dragon all by herself. She’d probably be just fine. 

She almost teased Lyon some more, but then she noticed how worried he actually  _ was. _ The frown tugging at the corner of his mouth, the way his eyebrows were pinched together. “Hey.” She took his head. “Your brother will be okay. I’m sure he will be.” She really should have thought of Gray before she brought up Fairy Tail. Lyon needed to focus, and that was going to be a lot harder if he was spending his time worried about his younger brother. 

Lyon’s eyes got very far away. “Honestly… it’s not really Gray I’m worried about.” He held a hand to his chest, his frown deepening. 

“Huh?” 

Lyon shook his head. “That came out wrong.” He let his hand fall. “I am worried about him. Really, really worried about him. But…” He took a deep breath, before forcing himself to smile. “I’ll be okay, Chelia. It’s nothing you need to be concerned about. Just some old family drama.” 

“Okay…” She liked to think she was very close with Lyon, he was like an older brother to her, so it concerned her that he was acting like this. He didn’t normally hide things from her, or get so vague. But then again, she supposed it was really none of her business. He wasn’t required to tell her every little thing about his younger brother. 

Lyon ruffled her hair. “Let’s try and focus, alright? We’ve got work to do.” 

Chelia raised her fists. “Right!” 

* * *

“Kagura…” Milliana’s ears pressed against her skull. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do this.” 

Kagura sighed. She really shouldn’t agree with her. She didn’t have that luxury, not as the one leading Mermaid Heel in this operation. If she admitted that she didn’t think they stood a chance, then no one was going to listen to her or actually try to destroy the pillars, which would  _ definitely _ guarantee their failure. 

But the rest of her team had already dispersed to try and take down the pillars. And even if Kagura lied, Milliana would be able to figure it out in a second. The woman was one of the few that Kagura allowed herself to be completely honest and open with. “No, I don’t think so either.” 

“I’ll lose my cat attributes…” she murmured. 

That was going to be the  _ least _ of Milliana’s problems if the Face weapon succeeded, although Kagura supposed she could understand her worry over something like that. Milliana had had her cat attributes for most of her life, and had stated she would never nullify the magic that gave her them unless she absolutely  _ had _ to. It would take a lot for her to adjust without having the sensitive hearing and sense of smell she was used to, or her tail to balance her, or even the enhanced nimbleness the magic granted her. 

“You’ll be okay,” Kagura assured her, before awkwardly patted the top of her head, her fingers brushing against Milliana’s ears. 

A quiet purr came from the back of Milliana’s throat, and Kagura truly had no idea if it was deliberate or not. “I hope so.” 

“Well why don’t you go help Beth?” Kagura suggested. “I can take care of this pillar on my own.” She tapped her fingers against the hilt of her sword. 

“Are you sure?” Milliana asked. 

“Of course I’m sure,” Kagura said. “Now go.” 

Milliana saluted her. “Yes ma’am.” She bounded off, as light on her feet as ever. 

Kagura turned her glare back to the pillar. Chances were, she was going to have to unsheathe Archenemy for this, as much as it irritated her. Her sword was too grand to be used for chopping down pillars like this, but she didn’t have much of a choice. 

She gripped the hilt of Archenemy, prepared to remove the sword from its sheath. 

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she whipped around, holding her blade out, before she gasped. “Jellal…” 

Jellal froze. He clearly hadn’t noticed her, he was keeping to the shadows, with the hood of his cloak pulled low, but Kagura could still see the edges of his tattoo peeking out from beneath it, as well as the fringes of his deep blue hair. 

“The hell are you doing here?” she hissed. 

Jellal straightened, and slowly turned to face her, pulling his hood back. “I’m here with my team to help stop the Face weapon.” 

Kagura grimaced. Of course he was.  _ Of course _ he was here to  _ help. _ Because that was what he did, wasn’t it? He turned up out of the goodness of his heart, when Kagura had to let him go for the greater good. 

Oh, she might know all about what happened now thanks to hearing Erza’s side of the story, thanks to hearing Ultear Milkovich admit to possessing Jellal. 

But that didn’t mean she was willing to look past what he had done. 

“Is now really the time?” Jellal asked, his voice strained. 

Kagura bared her teeth. “It never is! It  _ never _ is.” She gripped Archenemy tighter. “This was meant for you! That was all that kept me going, all these years. The thoughts of skewering your heart.” 

Jellal took a small step towards her. “And I don’t fault you for that. I’m sure Milliana told you, of my willingness to let you kill me, should you still desire such a thing.” 

Kagura grit her teeth so tightly that her jaw ached. “It’s not the same if you ask for it! If you’re  _ sorry. _ I don’t give a fuck that you’re sorry or guilty. You shouldn’t be! You’re evil, and awful, and how  _ dare _ you feel sorry!” 

Jellal sighed and bowed his head, letting his hair fall into his eyes. “I know. I know I don’t deserve anything I have. I know that I deserve punishment. And like I’ve said, you are more than welcome to enact that punishment. Just please… let me try and help first. That’s all I request.” He took a shaky breath. “And then tell Erza I love her, okay? I won’t even make you wait so I can tell her myself, just please… could you tell her for me?” 

Kagura hissed, and jerked her head to the side, not even wanting to  _ look _ at the stupid man anymore. “How pathetic are you? You won’t even fight for your miserable existence at all?” 

“What right do I have to do something like that?” he questioned. 

Kagura marched towards him, the anger building and building. He just had to come to this city to help, didn’t he? Just had to accidentally stumble across her, on this random street? 

Jellal didn’t even flinch as she unsheathed her sword and held the blade against his throat, pressing  _ just _ hard enough to draw a small trickle of blood. 

The only thing in his eyes was calm acceptance. 

“Fuck you,” Kagura murmured.  _ “Fuck you!”  _ He should be trying to escape, he should be begging for his life, he should be threatening to kill her, he shouldn’t be  _ sorry.  _ “I  _ hate _ you.” 

“I know.” His eyes darted down to her blade, before meeting her own again. “God, do I know, Kagura.” 

“You ruined everything.” Her hand trembled, Archenemy right along with it. It would be so easy. One swing, one cut, and he would bleed out in the street like a dog, just like he deserved. 

He closed his eyes, and Kagura wasn’t sure if he actually thought she was going to swing the sword or not. Was he manipulating her? Manipulating her into letting him go because there was just no point in killing him? 

The thought only enraged her more. 

But if he really was manipulating her… Jellal sure was putting on a hell of a show. 

With a snarl, Kagura yanked her sword away from him. “Get the hell away from me.” As much as she hated it, she had to let him go again, for the good of Fiore. 

Jellal nodded, turned on his heel, and fled down the street. 

Kagura bit back a groan. If she ever saw him again, maybe she will have actually made up her mind. 

Maybe she would know if she actually wanted to kill Jellal or not. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we finally get the Natsu and Gray vs Mard Geer fight!!!


	64. Dragon Slayer, Demon Slayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu and Gray face Mard Geer

_ “Gray! Hey! Hey, Gray!”  _

_ Gray sighed, slumping further down into his seat, just in time for that new hyperactive dragon obsessed kid to pounce on him. “Gray, you’re back!”  _

_ “I am,” he agreed, before grabbing Natsu by the back of his vest and yanking him away. “I was only gone for a day.” He’d only been gone for  _ a day _ , on one of the few quests that the Master would let him go on alone, and besides, why was Natsu so damn clingy anyways? He’d only known Gray for about two weeks!  _

_ “It felt like  _ forever!” _ Natsu exclaimed. “And Erza wouldn’t fight me!”  _

_ “Go away, Natsu.” Gray really wasn’t in the mood for this. He was tired, and he didn’t exactly like being touched. The dragon slayer was already trying to do that annoying thing where he pressed up against him.  _

_ Natsu cocked his head, confusion in his eyes. “But I missed you.”  _

_ “Yeah? Well I don’t care.” Why should he? He didn’t  _ know _ Natsu. It wasn’t on him to get used to all of Natsu’s weird habits and clinginess.  _

_ “Oh…” Natsu pulled away from him. At first, he seemed angry, like he might even throw a punch, not that Gray would mind that  _ too _ much. He thought the dragon slayer was the most enjoyable when they  _ were _ fighting.  _

_ But then his shoulders slumped, and he crawled out of the seat. “Okay, then. I’ll leave you alone.”  _

_ Gray groaned and smacked his head against the back of the booth, before glancing over to see Natsu slink off to a corner, curling up, and clutching at his scarf. “Dammit.” Thankfully Erza wasn’t around today, off on some mission with Mirajane (the Master’s pathetic attempt at trying to force them into getting along), otherwise she would have had his head. For some reason, she already really liked Natsu.  _

_ Gray forced himself to get up and go sit next to Natsu in his corner.  _

_ Natsu glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, before scooting away from Gray.  _

_ “What’d you do while I was gone?” he asked.  _

_ “Nothin,’” Natsu mumbled.  _

_ Gray almost gave up then. He had better things to do than try and comfort him and apologize for something as stupid as not  _ missing _ the dragon slayer for a  _ day. __

_ But a quiet sniffle had him stiffening. Was Natsu…  _

Crying!? 

_ “H-Hey—” he began.  _

_ Natsu shoved his face further into his scarf. “You’ll leave me, too.”  _

I’ll… what?  _ What was Natsu  _ talking _ about? Yeah, of course Gray was going to leave sometimes! He couldn’t exactly spend every moment of every day with— _

_ Gray cursed himself. Natsu’s entire family, except his little sister, had vanished. Had  _ abandoned _ him. Obviously, it wasn’t logical for Natsu to assume that every single person he met wasn’t going to stick around, but well… Given what had happened to him… it made sense.  _

_ Gray still didn’t understand why Natsu had gotten attached to  _ him _ so quickly, though, and while Gray wasn’t even sure if he even  _ liked _ the dragon slayer yet, he wasn’t just going to let him think that Gray was just going to up and leave one day and never come back. “I’m not going anywhere.” Awkwardly, he reached out to pat Natsu’s head, knowing how much he liked to be touched.  _

_ Natsu leaned into the touch, finally looking up from his scarf. “Promise?” he whimpered.  _

_ “Uh…” Gray shifted, having no idea what to say to that. How could he promise something like that?  _

_ “Promise?” Natsu asked again, leaning a little closer than what Gray would have liked.  _

_ But he couldn’t find it in himself to push him away or tell him no. “I promise.”  _

* * *

“Rogue, get Sting out of here,” Natsu said. Despite Sting’s assurances that he was okay, he still hadn’t managed to get up. Natsu didn’t want him getting hurt because he couldn’t defend himself. 

“Natsu, this is when— When I—” Rogue began. “Something bad is gonna happen. My future self—” 

“Rogue,  _ get _ Sting out of here,” Natsu repeated. Right now, Rogue’s future version didn’t matter. If they all died here, he’d never exist anyways. And Rogue was  _ definitely _ going to snap if something happened to Sting. 

Natsu needed to focus on this demon, on getting the book that Igneel wanted, and he couldn’t do that if his little brothers were in harm's way, or he had to worry about accidentally hurting him if his fire went out of control. 

“Fine,” Rogue relented, melting into a shadow and reappearing next to Sting. Natsu was pretty sure he’d passed out. 

“You really think you can handle me on your own?” Mard Geer asked, taking slow steps towards Natsu. 

He felt his claws flexing, and his eyes zeroed in on the book the demon held. It looked old,  _ ancient, _ with a thick cover covered in little nicks and scratches, but the thing that caught his attention were three letters. 

_ E.N.D.  _

Natsu forced down a gasp. Zeref’s most powerful demon? Was that book really connected to him somehow? 

Natsu reached his hand out. He wanted to  _ touch _ it. He  _ needed _ to touch it. A fire ignited in his chest, a foreign fire, but despite its strangeness, it felt so  _ right, _ all because of that book. “Give me that.” 

Mard Geer raised an eyebrow, before glancing down at the book. “You want this?” He held it up, a teasing smile on his face. “I don’t think so.” 

Natsu snarled, crouching down and flaring his wings. “That’s  _ mine.”  _ Never mind Igneel wanting the book,  _ Natsu _ wanted it. He wanted to hold it, he wanted to open it, it was  _ his. _ Not this demon’s! 

Natsu sprang forward, fire sparking around him. Smoke poured from his mouth with each breath, as the fire inside his chest grew wilder. He could feel the flames creeping up this throat, despite him not wanting to use a breath attack yet. Whatever this fire was, it didn’t want to be controlled. All it wanted was to  _ burn. _

Natsu wanted to let it. 

But he clamped it down, forced it to obey him, even as Mard Geer’s vines erupted from the ground. He couldn’t let his fire rage out of control, not while Sting and Rogue were still close enough to get caught up in it. He didn’t know what he would do if he hurt them, if he  _ burned _ them. 

And this fire… as much as it intrigued him, as much as he wanted to release it, it  _ scared _ him. He’d never felt flames as hungry as these before. He was worried if he let them out, he’d never be able to reign them back in. Not until they devoured the entire world. 

Thorns and vines exploded around him, twisting and writhing with each delicate wave of Mard Geer’s hand. 

Natsu almost laughed.  _ Plants? Against  _ fire!? Whether this was a curse power of not, plants were  _ flammable. _ One of the most flammable things in the world, and Natsu would know. 

But he didn’t care enough to burn them if he didn’t have to. He didn’t want to waste his time combating  _ vines. _ He wanted to sink his claws into Mard Geer, to burn him, for touching what wasn’t  _ his. _

That book was E.N.D.’s, it was  _ Natsu’s— _

Natsu froze, shaking his head.  _ What the hell? _ Where had  _ that _ come from? Had he really just—

Mard Geer’s fist slammed into his jaw. “Already freezing up?” 

Natsu fell backwards, the hit surprising him more than hurting him. Despite his shock, he still managed to reach out, his fingers just barely brushing the book in Mard Geer’s grasp. 

Something in his chest  _ shattered. _ With enough force Natsu swore he blacked out for a second, because the next thing he knew, he was on his back, staring up at Igneel and Acnologia tearing into each other. His body trembled, and he felt  _ sick. _ He couldn’t move, he could feel the rubble inside him shifting as something stirred. It was like the feeling he got around demons, but so much stronger, so much  _ worse.  _

_ What the hell’s wrong with me?  _ He couldn’t even force his fingers to twitch. 

Mard Geer stomped down on Natsu’s wing. He thought he might have heard something crack, felt a bolt of pain, but he still couldn’t react. 

_ What is this? _

Everything was fuzzy, nothing felt right. Something was wrong. Something was  _ missing.  _ A hole in his chest, in his  _ soul. _

_ Nothing feels right. _

I’m _ not right…  _

“This is pathetic,” Mard Geer said. “I’m appalled that so many of the Nine Demon Gates would fall to wizards like  _ you.” _

The words didn’t even register. Nothing did. He’d never felt so incomplete in his entire life. It was like… like for just a  _ second, _ that book had given him something, something he hadn’t even known he needed, until it was ripped away from him again. 

More vines forced their way out of the ground. Natsu could sense their approach, but he still couldn't move, could do nothing. 

Not without that book. 

“Natsu, you jackass, get up!” 

Purple ice encased the vines, raced across the ground. 

Natsu blinked. 

The vines shattered, chunks of them falling around him. A wave of ice careened into Mard Geer, forcing him backwards before he could retaliate. A few seconds later, Gray leaned down to heave Natsu up by his shirt. “There a reason you’re just laying on the fucking ground!?” he demanded. 

“Gray…” Natsu rasped. Something wasn’t right about him either. He felt… different. The slayer magic that had previously just barely been detectable was nearly overwhelming now. Had Gray forced it out somehow? What had  _ happened _ to him? 

And since when had he pierced his ears!? 

“Hey!” Gray jostled him. 

Natsu blinked again. “S-Sorry.” He reached up to grab Gray’s wrist, before wincing at how cold his skin was. “He… he just surprised me, is all.” That was easier to say than to try and explain the complex feelings touching that book had given him. 

“That why your wing is all busted up?” 

“Huh?” Natsu glanced over, to see that Gray was right. His wing hung awkwardly from his shoulder, and then he finally registered the  _ pain. _ It was nowhere near the level of pain that had come from Rogue completely snapping his wing in two, the bone was probably just fractured in a few places, rather than completely broken, but it still  _ hurt, _ and it’d probably be smart not to try flying anytime soon. “Guess so.” 

Gray scoffed, letting go of Natsu to let him fall back into a heap on the ground. “Stay out of the way. You’re clearly not focusing, and you’re just going to get hurt.” 

Natsu forced himself up with a wince, shaking his head. “No. No, I have to get that book. Igneel told me to.” 

Gray bared his teeth, a deep growl thrumming from his chest that had Natsu taking a step back. That… Gray  _ never _ acted like that. “And I said that you need to—” 

Vine exploded from the ground behind Gray, but before Natsu could even shout out a warning, the ice mage flung his hand out, a sword made from purple-tinted ice springing into existence, slicing the vines to pieces. 

_ What the hell? _ Gray had always had good reflexes and instincts, but nowhere near  _ that _ good. It was like he’d sensed the vines coming, as if he’d—

_ Smelled them, _ Natsu realized. He couldn’t say for sure that demon slayer magic would grant the same heightened senses as dragon slayer magic, but that was the only explanation he could come up with. 

Gray tossed the sword to the side, and turned his attention to Mard Geer, who had completely recovered from his surprise attack. “I’m serious, Natsu. Let me handle him.” 

Natsu nearly snorted. 

_ As if!  _

* * *

Gray couldn’t explain it, the sudden knowledge and control he had over the ice rattling in his chest. He knew his father had said he would give him what he needed to actually use his slayer abilities, but… He’d never imagined it would be this  _ thorough. _ Even the sudden heightened senses weren’t overwhelming, even if they were a bit odd. 

But he couldn’t focus on that now, he had to push thoughts about Silver aside. He had demons to kill. Every single last one crawling around these ruins like damn cockroaches, and after he was done freezing them from the inside out, E.N.D. and Zeref were next. 

He threw his arms up, blocking a hit from Mard Geer. This would sure be a hell of a lot easier with Natsu, but something was clearly very wrong about him. His…  _ energy _ had felt…  _ off, _ and he’d never see Natsu so dazed during a fight. Gray was pretty sure the idiot’s first instinct was to punch anything that moved, so it worried him that the dragon slayer hadn’t even been  _ attempting _ to fight when he showed up. 

“So you’re the hybrid that Seilah was so interested in,” Mard Geer mused, delicately bounding backwards to avoid the slash of an ice dagger. “You’re certainly the most demonic member of your family that we’ve seen.” 

Gray snarled, fighting back the instinct to slash at the demon with claws he didn’t have. 

“If I thought I’d get anywhere, I might even offer you a place with us, just to help replace the members you’ve killed,” he continued. 

“Like hell!” He’d rather  _ die. _

Mard Geer shrugged. “Just thought I’d mention it.” 

Flames raced across the ground, and Natsu pounced on the demon. “Shut the hell up! Gray ain’t anything like you monsters!” 

“Natsu!” Gray was going to  _ kill him!  _ He’d told him to stay out of this! 

Mard Geer pried Natsu off of himself, tossing him into Gray, leaving them to collapse and trying to push the other one off. 

“Dammit, Natsu!” Gray snarled. “What the hell are you doing!?” 

“I told you I was getting that book!” he snapped. “Besides, you need help!” 

“I do  _ not—” _

Natsu huffed, forcing a puff of smoke into Gray’s face, before he leaped towards Mard Geer again, a blast of fire exploding from his splayed hands. 

Gray coughed, waving the smoke away and moving to attack the demon as well. It would be difficult for him to defend against both of them. While he was busy dodging or blocking one attack, he’d be hit by the other, especially with him stubbornly clinging onto that book that Natsu wanted so badly. 

Mard Geer twisted, avoiding the fire with ease, and holding out one hand to block Gray’s sword. 

Gray jumped backwards. Maybe he  _ should _ stop attempting to use his make magic in this fight. The weapons and more precise attacks seemed to be easier for the demon to counter. Maybe the wildness of slayer techniques was what he needed. 

Natsu slashed at the demon, fire coating his claws. Gray instinctively fell into place at Natsu’s side. It had taken them a long time to learn to fight in sync with the other, but once they had, they were damn near unstoppable. But now… now that Gray actually had a similar magic to Natsu’s, nearly identical, save for the element, it’d never felt more natural fighting by his best friend’s side. 

They were a whirlwind of fire and ice. The air fluctuating in temperature so quickly that Gray had no idea if he was hot or cold. Ice sprang from his fingertips, melding perfectly with Natsu’s fire. 

Mard Geer began to stumble, unable to dodge or block every hit. His sleeve caught fire. Ice sliced across his cheek. Claws swept across his chest. Frost coated his hand. 

Natsu began to pant, his movements getting wilder, harder to match. A crazed light sparkled in his eyes. 

_ Shit. _ Gray faltered for a moment. If Natsu was starting to lose it… Something had clearly been off with him a few minutes ago, it was entirely possible. “Hey, Natsu—” 

Natsu ignored him, before managing to land a solid kick to Mard Geer’s chest, sending the demon flying backwards into a wall. 

“Natsu!” Gray attempted again. 

“Give it to me,” Natsu demanded, stalking towards Mard Geer. “Give me that book!” 

Mard Geer forced himself up, rubble cascading off his body. “You think you have the right to demand things of me?” He threw his head back, cackling. “You haven’t seen the  _ least _ of what I’m capable of.” 

Gray’s eyes widened as Mard Geer’s body rippled, and he lunged to grab Natsu and drag him back before he did something stupid. Gray had yet to actually  _ see _ one of the demons transform, and it almost made him  _ sick. _ The cracking bones, the squelching of rearranging muscles. It was  _ nothing _ like any transformation or takeover magic he’d ever seen. 

Dark magic— No,  _ curses _ were thick in the air. It made Gray’s skin tingle, uncomfortable pinpricks, but only on his human skin. He felt nothing where his markings resided. 

Natsu groaned, clutching at his chest as he doubled over. 

“Natsu!” 

Mard Geer held his hand out, dark power winding between his fingers. “You really thought you had a chance against me, didn’t you?” He laughed. “You’re already collapsing beneath my curse, before I’ve completely summoned it.” 

Gray grabbed Natsu, doing his best to keep him upright. 

“Not right…” he muttered. “My body… my  _ head…” _

Gray grimaced. He never should have actually let Natsu fight, not when he  _ knew _ something was wrong with him. He’d always had issues with demons! It was only a matter of time before it caught up to him, being surrounded by so many of them. 

The world began to blur around them, Mard Geer’s power only continuing to grow. “Memento Mori,” the demon said, sounding far too pleased with himself. “My ultimate curse, meant to bring ultimate suffering and death.” The power became tangible in his palm, dark and intense. 

Gray swore the despair was able to be  _ seen _ in the air. It was as if the entire world was shrouded in darkness. He could feel the desperation and sadness and despair welling up inside him. It felt as if this curse was meant to erase any good feeling, anything except suffering, leaving nothing but miserable husks behind. 

_ No. _ He shook his head, still supporting Natsu’s weight as he whimpered. Gray  _ couldn’t _ let this curse get to him. Besides… he was practically a demon, wasn’t he? He should have at least  _ some _ immunity to curses. 

He had a hell of a better chance at surviving it than Natsu did, anyways. 

Mard Geer grinned at him. “I’ll admit, you ended up putting up more of a fight than I anticipated. But not even you could withstand this.” 

Gray shoved Natsu behind him, just as the curse  _ exploded.  _

“Gray!” Natsu gasped, reaching out to grab for him as he fell backwards, the tips of his claws scraping against Gray’s fingers. 

Complete  _ agony _ tore through Gray’s body as the brunt of the curse connected with him. He clenched his teeth so tightly he worried they might crack, just to keep from screaming and giving the demon the satisfaction. It felt as if every negative emotion he’d ever felt was burrowing into his skin, tearing him apart and remaking him, just to tear him apart again. 

Horror danced in Natsu’s eyes. 

Finally the pain began to recede. Or perhaps Gray was just going numb. Hell, maybe he was dying. That was entirely possible. “You better fucking win, pyro.” The ground was rushing up way too fast, and next thing he knew, he was lying on it, his entire body feeling like it’d just been unspooled. 

Natsu wailed, and Gray felt hands grabbing his shoulders, a nose against his cheek. The air was growing dangerously hot, and he nearly sneezed as smoke grew thick in the air. 

_ He’s gonna lose it…  _

He was dimly aware of Mard Geer sputtering about how there was no way they should have survived that curse, but Gray couldn’t say that he cared. 

His eyes slipped closed. 

He could only hope that someone managed to pull Natsu back from that brink after the demon was defeated. 

* * *

Natsu let the fire go, even as it ate himself up from the inside out. He knew he was burning, knew he was losing himself, but he didn’t  _ care. _ Gray had just suffered the worst curse in the Underworld, all to save Natsu, and this demon was  _ responsible _ for that. 

Natsu wasn’t just going to burn him. He was going to claw his organs out, flay his skin off, bite through his bones, he would  _ tear the demon’s heart out.  _

Red flames raced over the rubble, incinerating anything unlucky enough to be touched by them, with Gray being the only exception. 

Natsu felt the darkness nudging at the corners of his mind, the hate and rage that he knew accompanied a rampage, that caused him to completely lose himself. 

But he didn’t care. 

He  _ let _ the hate and the fire take him. 

Mard Geer’s eyes widened. “Th-There’s no way. This c-can’t be right.” 

Natsu bared his teeth, before dragging his tongue over them, imagining how good it would feel, how good it would  _ taste, _ to sink his fangs into this demon’s throat. 

He felt prickling on his skin, a pressure in his head, but he didn’t care. 

All he cared about was Mard Geer’s death. 

The confusion and worry in Mard Geer’s eyes morphed into rage. “No… No! You’re not him! Something like you… could  _ never _ be him!” 

He had no idea what he was talking about, and he didn’t care. 

Natsu roared, a sound so loud and powerful it nearly rivaled the fighting dragon’s in the sky. He sprang forward, so quickly Mard Geer didn’t even have time to react before there were claws in his chest, fire raging over his body. 

The demon screeched, desperately trying to push Natsu away. He just barely managed to shove his arm into Natsu's mouth before his teeth locked around his throat. 

Natsu crunched down, relishing in the snap of bone and the rending of flesh as the demon  _ screamed.  _

Mard Geer flailed, falling backwards and rolling, finally managing to dislodge Natsu. Black blood poured from the gouges in his chest, and burns blistered across his skin. His mangled arm dangled limply at his side. With few options, Mard Geer dropped the book of E.N.D., raising his arm in a pathetic defense. 

Natsu snarled, spitting out a mouthful of flesh and bone shards. 

This demon was nothing more than an obstacle. A nuisance. Something to incinerate before he got to Zeref, his  _ true _ target. 

“M-Master—” 

Natsu lunged forward, punching his fist through the demon’s chest, sinking his claws into his heart. 

Mard Geer choked, blood dribbling down his chin, a spark of happiness that  _ disgusted _ Natsu appearing in his eyes. “It’s—It is…” he gasped. 

Despite how much Natsu hated that relief, that utter  _ joy _ in the demon’s eyes, he smiled, his tongue darting out to lick the blood from his lips. “Burn in Hell.” He ripped his hand from Mard Geer’s chest, but not before setting the demon ablaze, relishing in the anguished, choked screams stuttering from the demon’s mouth. 

Natsu kicked at Mard Geer’s twitching body, before turning away. 

He scanned the ground, searching for the book he  _ knew _ the demon had dropped. The book that he  _ needed. _

His eyes locked onto Gray, who had managed to force himself up without Natsu noticing and grab the book. His entire body trembled, he was paler than death, but he held the book to his chest, clutching it like it was a lifeline. 

“Give me that,” Natsu demanded. “Now, Gray.” 

“Not until you tell me what it is,” he said. “Why does it have E.N.D.’s name on it? Is it his?” 

Natsu bared his teeth. He didn’t have time for this! “Give it to me!” 

“Natsu, I know you’re not thinking straight right now,” Gray began. “Trust me, I know you well enough by now to know when… when you’ve lost yourself. So no. I’m not giving it to you.” He held the book tighter, his fingers digging into the cover. “I’m going to destroy it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Erza vs Kyoka!


	65. Lovely Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza struggles to defeat Kyoka before she can activate the Faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the longer wait, I /struggled/ with getting this chapter to flow how I wanted. I tend to have trouble with fight scenes anyways, and this is my all time favorite fight of Erza's, so I really wanted to do it justice. I'm... not completely sure I like how it turned out, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. 
> 
> Also, it's officially been a year (as of the 11th) since I started the rewrite and holy FUCK I can't believe I wrote all of this within a year.

Erza still couldn’t tear her eyes away from Seilah’s limp body. The black blood pouring from the gaping tears in her throat, her unseeing, glassy eyes, the shock and heartbreak forever frozen on her features. As awful and deplorable as Erza found every single one of these monsters, she still couldn’t believe… 

To harm one of your own comrades, to  _ kill _ them, when they were trying to save your life? It was… it was  _ detestable.  _

Mirajane collapsed, snapping Erza out of her horror. 

“Mira!” Erza fell to her knees and lifted her girlfriend’s limp body into her lap. “Mira, what’s wrong?” 

Mirajane’s eyes fluttered open. “Sorry, I’m okay. I’m just… my magic is  _ exhausted. _ I’m sorry I can’t help…” 

Erza shook her head. “No, no, it’s okay. Just rest.” She shifted, laying Mirajane back on the ground, in what she hoped was a more comfortable position. “I’ll handle her.” 

“Kick her ass, babe.” She offered Erza a fierce smile, before her eyes rolled back and what little strength she had left faded. 

Erza sighed, and ran her hand across Mirajane’s cheek. She knew she would be okay eventually, that she really was just exhausted, she didn’t even appear to have any major injuries, but she couldn’t help but worry, watching her collapse like that. 

But it wasn’t like it mattered. Either way, Erza still had to defeat this demon. Not just for Mirajane’s sake, but for everyone’s. Because if Kyoka had truly just merged with the Face weapon, if Erza killed her before she managed to activate it, that meant that the weapon would never activate, right? Tartaros wouldn’t be able to steal everyone’s magic! She got back to her feet, requipping into her Armadura Fairy armor, her sword appearing in her hand. 

She’d already defeated Kyoka once. The only reason the demon wasn’t dead was because the coward had fled. This wasn’t a fight that Erza was worried over. 

Kyoka kicked at Seilah’s body. “You became too fascinated by  _ them,” _ she snarled. “How could you abandon everything we worked for for  _ me? _ Idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!” With each shout, she kicked Seilah’s body again, caring nothing for how her bone cracked, the way her gorgeous face split open, the eye that popped out of its socket, the horns that splintered, the black blood that splattered across Kyoka’s legs. 

Erza bared her teeth, revulsion and disgust flooding through her chest. Seilah had deserved death, there was no doubt about that, but she didn’t deserve to be  _ mutilated _ like this. No one deserved that. 

Erza surged forward, slashing her sword across Kyoka’s chest. 

Kyoka shrieked, an inhuman sound, high and manic. Mania lit up her features, a crazed look in her eye that sent shivers down Erza’s spine. The demon clutched at the tear in her chest, sinking her talons into the loose folds of skin. “What do you think you’re doing,  _ Faerie?” _ Laughter bubbled up the demon’s throat. “I have nothing to lose anymore.” She cocked her head, her helmet slipping to the side, halfway covering one of her eyes. “What do you say, Erza?” Her tongue flicked out, licking at a droplet of Seilah’s blood that had managed to land on her chin. “I’m willing to die… are you?” 

Erza blinked, before taking an unwilling step backwards. She’d seen her fair share of unhinged opponents. Hell, sometimes even Fairy Tail members got dangerously unhinged when they fought. 

But there was something different about this demon. She truly did not care if she lived or died. Kyoka  _ was _ going to die. Her only real goal was to cause as much possible chaos and carnage as she could with that death. 

Kyoka turned her gaze to the countdown. There was more than enough time to kill Kyoka before the Faces activated. 

“Oh…” Kyoka turned back to Erza. “You think you have time, don’t you?” She bared her teeth in a smile, her fangs too large, grotesque. “Why do you think I merged myself with the lacrima?” 

The timer began to drop,  _ dangerously _ quickly. 

“No!” Erza aimed another strike for Kyoka, but her talons blocked the blow, sparks flying as the blade screeched across her claws. 

She didn’t have time to consider how dangerous Kyoka was now. That didn’t  _ matter. _ All that mattered was  _ defeating _ her, damn the consequences. 

Erza summoned another blade, aiming a slice to Kyoka’s thighs. The demon leapt backwards, but not before hooking her claws into one of the cuts on Erza's cheek, tearing her face open. She shrieked, jerking backwards, trying to ignore the sound of the blood pouring onto her armor. She squeezed her eyes shut, daring to poke her tongue against the inside of her cheek, horrified to find a gaping tear in the side of her face. 

Kyoka grinned.  _ “This  _ was what I wanted to do to you in that torture chamber.” She licked Erza’s blood from her talons. “I may want you dead, Erza, but not before you suffer first!” 

Erza spat out a mouthful of blood. She’d suffered worse wounds.  _ Much _ worse! 

Kyoka leapt for her again, her talons expanding to screech across the breastplate of her armor, leaving deep gouges in the metal. 

Erza was flung backwards, but she twisted, letting one of her swords fade so she could grab onto Kyoka’s ponytail, yanking her head to the side, and driving her knee into the demon’s chest. 

Kyoka choked, blood and saliva dribbling down her chin. She tore her talons out of Erza’s armor, flinging pieces of the metal across the control room. “Damn you,” she wheezed, falling backwards to clutch at her chest. 

Erza summoned a knife, flinging it towards Kyoka’s neck while she was dazed, but the demon still easily dodged the weapon. 

Erza grit her teeth. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought it would be. Kyoka was fighting much more erratically than had been before, not to mention Erza had sustained more injuries since then, thanks to Minerva. Kyoka also hadn’t decided to utilize her curse yet. Erza still wasn’t entirely sure what all of its capabilities were, Kyoka hadn’t completely revealed that, when she had decided to torture her. 

She risked another glance at the countdown. It had slowed back to a normal pace while Kyoka was fighting, likely since the demon was distracted, but she had no doubt that if she didn’t keep Kyoka on her toes before she managed to kill her, that the demon would force the countdown along and then it would be too late. 

Kyoka grabbed the side of her head while she was distracted, sinking her claws into the tear in Erza’s cheek, before shoving her to the ground, smashing her head against the cracked pavement. 

Erza yelped, stars flashing in her vision, before it started to go dark at the corners.  _ Damn, _ she couldn’t believe she’d slipped up like that! 

“Erza…” Kyoka crooned, leaning over her, slipping her claw into the tear on Erza’s cheek, massaging the skin between her fingers. “What would you do if I just ripped your skin off?” She grinned, black blood staining her teeth. “You really are so… so gorgeous. It would be so easy to take that away from you.” 

Erza had to fight back every instinct in her, telling her to jerk away, not wanting Kyoka’s claws to catch on her skin and actually rip patches of it off. 

“Do you know what my curse is capable of?” the demon whispered, leaning down so that her breath tickled Erza’s ear, causing it to twitch. “Do you like pain?” 

Fire exploded from the wound on Erza’s cheek, the pain spiking to a near unbearable level, and she cried out, tears pricking at her eye. 

“I’ll give you  _ so much pain,” _ Kyoka said, using her other hand to grab Erza’s hair and force her head back. “I can manipulate your senses in so many lovely ways, one last round of fun, before I give my life to Zeref.” 

Erza tried to squirm out from under her, tried to shove her off, but the same awful pain in her cheek sprang to life in the rest of her wounds, and she couldn’t stop the ragged scream that forced its way out of her throat. 

Kyoka ran one of her talons down Erza’s breastplate, letting it clink across the grooves she’d already put in the metal. “I really don’t like this armor on you. I want you  _ vulnerable.”  _

“No,” Erza couldn’t help but whimper. She needed her armor,  _ needed _ it! This wasn’t like when she forsook it, putting all her magic power into her sword, that was her  _ choice. _

Kyoka sank her claws in the metal, ripping it up, the armor cracking around her talons, creaking and groaning as the demon tore it away, piece by piece. She laughed, the noise becoming even more crazed and manic with each clawful of armor she tore away. “Isn’t this so much more satisfying, Erza!?” She howled, her eyes lighting up. “Don’t you feel more like  _ yourself _ this way!? No hiding beneath that metal, that pathetic armor, trying to pretend you’re a warrior, and not just a pathetic little magic user depending on a higher power. Because that’s what all you Faeries are, huh?” She leaned closer, and Erza nearly retched as she smelt the putrid blood on Kyoka’s breath. “Can’t do anything, without your precious  _ magic?” _ She giggled. “You’re so inferior, and I’m going to have so much fun  _ breaking  _ you.” 

Erza shoved against the demon, damn the pain! She’d been through worse! How much had she suffered at the Tower of Heaven? On Tenrou? When she’d had her Second Origin released? She could handle this! 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Kyoka shoved her back to the ground. “I wasn’t done. You think pain is the only sense I can manipulate?” She sank her claws deeper into Erza’s skin. “I’ll take your touch, your taste, your sound, your sight, I’ll leave you nothing but your  _ pain. _ I wouldn’t want you to miss  _ everything, _ now would I, Erza? Complete sensory deprivation… it certainly is interesting, but I never could enjoy myself without the  _ screaming.”  _

Erza sucked in a sharp breath. Kyoka was bluffing. She couldn’t really… There was  _ no way _ the demon was capable of completely ripping away her senses like that.  _ No way. _

But then she realized with horror that the pressure of Kyoka leaning on her began to fade, her labored breathing was becoming muted.  _ No… _ She shook her head, panicking as she realized she could no longer feel the ground beneath her. “No!” She knew she screamed, she  _ knew _ it, she could tell from the way her jaw pulled taut and the ragged feeling in her throat, but she barely  _ heard it. _

“Farewell, Erza,” Kyoka said, her voice so quiet Erza had to read her lips to understand what she’d said. 

Her vision darkened at the edges. 

“No!” she screamed again, but she heard  _ nothing. _ “No, no, no, no!” It was similar, all too similar to that room in the Tower of the Heaven, where she faded, where she was thrown away, torn into and taken apart. 

But this… This was more absolute. 

The last of her vision and touch faded, leaving her stranded in black nothingness. It was  _ terrifying. _ It was like unconsciousness, but she was still  _ painfully _ aware. Aware of the nothing, the nothing and the terror. 

She thought she might have been crying,  _ sobbing, _ but she was barely even aware of her own body anymore. For all she knew, she could have been coming apart at the seams, unraveling and unbecoming, fading into the same nothingness that surrounded her. 

* * *

**_PAIN_ **

* * *

It exploded. Complete and utter agony tore through every part of her being. Erza knew she was screaming, sobbing, begging, she  _ had _ to be, but she could no longer even feeling her jaw or tongue moving, just that awful numbness coupled with the hell that was racing through everything that made her up. 

Her body had no shape. She had no bones, no muscles, no blood. 

Just  _ pain. _

_ I failed… _ She might have been able to handle the pain, force herself through it, if it weren’t for the fact that she knew she had  _ failed _ them. Everyone she held dear was going to lose their magic, was going to  _ die, _ all because she had let Kyoka’s curse get to her, because she wasn’t fast enough, because she had slipped up. 

She didn’t know what to  _ do. _ It went against everything in her nature to not be fighting, to just  _ let _ this happen, but with no way to even tell up from down, what was real from what wasn’t, what  _ could _ she do? There was  _ nothing. _ Nothing but this awful agony that was going to be with her for eternity. 

But then… she noticed a pattern to the pain. It made up her entire body, but there were portions that hurt worse. Some were constant, some shifted. 

_ Kyoka’s hits, _ she realized, because of course the demon would still be tearing into her like this. And if Kyoka’s hits were landing in those areas, then the intense, constant pain in other parts of her body must be where she was touching other things, like the ground. 

Erza grit her teeth, or at least, she told her body too. She couldn’t be sure if it obeyed or not, but she was not going to give Kyoka the satisfaction of her screams, not after she had gone on about how much she loved them. 

A spike of pain burst through what might have been her shoulder. 

_ She’s there! _

Erza lunged, telling her body to curl her fingers into a fist, as she threw everything she had into the blow, baring her teeth in a fierce grin as she felt the pain in her hand intensify, meaning she must have landed her hit! 

Erza nearly laughed. Kyoka was a  _ fool. _ She might have been able to kill her, completely incapacitate her, if only she hadn’t left Erza with that one sense left. 

Her  _ pain. _

So long as she had her pain, that meant she was still alive. So long as she had her pain, she could  _ fight. _

She forced her body to obey her, that constant pain shifting from her back and thighs to the soles of her feet as she forced herself up. She still couldn’t feel exactly what her body was doing, she just had to trust that it was obeying her. 

_ Magic chose me for a reason, and this is not a battle I can lose.  _

She was Erza Scarlet, Titania, the Queen of Fairies. Did Kyoka really think a little  _ pain _ could stop her? 

She called on her magic, relishing in the pain in her hands as her fingers curled around the hilt of her katana. “You think this is darkness and pain?” she said. She might not be able to hear the words, but they weren’t for herself; they were for  _ Kyoka. _ “You think you can torture me?” 

The pain increased in her left side, just marginally,  _ barely _ enough to be noticeable, but Erza knew what it was. The shifting air currents, as Kyoka moved, likely trying to attack. Erza twisted, slashing her blade, caring nothing for where it connected or what part of Kyoka she hurt, just that she landed a hit. 

She couldn’t hear a cry of pain, but she felt the pain in her hand run a little deeper, as force was applied to blade, either meaning she’d landed her strike, or that Kyoka had blocked it. Either way, Erza counted it as a victory, because that meant her strategy had  _ worked. _ She may not have the accuracy she normally did, but she could still fight.

She could still  _ win. _

All she had to do was follow the pain, let it guide her. Well, that wouldn’t be a problem. Erza was no stranger to pain, it was a constant companion. It had followed her her whole life. The least that pain could do now, was return the favor and let her follow it for this one fight. 

She imagined Kyoka screaming as she felt that pressure in her hands, that unbearable pain that Erza found herself smiling at, because that meant she’d  _ hit _ her, and those screams she imagined, they filled her with utter  _ joy. _

Erza had fought a lot of people and creatures, and there were many she considered awful, beyond saving, unworthy of forgiveness or a second chance, but she had yet to fight an adversary as evil as Kyoka. 

She could not wait to drive her blade through this demon’s rotting heart. 

Tearing pain shot through her abdomen, but she clamped her mouth shut, forcing down the screams,  _ refusing _ to give Kyoka the satisfaction. 

She had no idea how much longer was left on the countdown. She didn’t know how much time had passed since she had become trapped in this numb agony, or if Kyoka had been able to concentrate on speeding it up again, but she didn’t have the luxury of letting this fight drag on. 

So she searched for that pain, following every little scrap of it that she could. She dug her blade into whatever bits of Kyoka that she could. She let the stabbing misery in her toes guide her steps, the burning brush of the breeze lead her movements. 

“I’ll win this fight! I’ll win this fight, even if I’m trapped like this forever!” she shouted. “If only so I can feel the pain of their touches!” The agony of Mirajane and Jellal’s kisses, the awful stabs of Gray and Natsu’s playful touches. “I may not see them, I may not hear them, but I’ll know, I’ll know it’s them!” She knew she would, just how she knew her sword was slicing through Kyoka. 

Erza would never relinquish her life, not while they still lived. Never, never,  _ never. _

Kyoka thought she could break her? 

Erza would never break as long as she still had them. 

The pain in her hands built as her sword was jostled, but this time it was different. The expansion of the pain was not the same as it had been. There was less of it, less resistance, and it did not fade as Kyoka ripped her body away from the blade like she had been doing. No, Kyoka was not escaping her sword this time. 

Laughter forced its way out of Erza’s throat, and she realized she could  _ hear _ it, however faintly. 

Had she done it? Had she really done it? If Kyoka’s curse was beginning to fade, that meant she had died, right? 

Erza blinked, and she  _ felt it. _ She felt her sword clatter out of her hand, and felt as she fell backwards, her body finally refusing to obey her, to let her put any more strain on it. 

She blinked again, the black lightening to gray, and Erza let out a sigh of relief, her body slumping over. 

Her vision began to return, though blurry and the colors muted, just  _ barely _ allowing her to see her surroundings. 

She realized Kyoka’s still face lay mere centimeters from her own.

_ That… can’t be right… _

Was the demon  _ smiling? _ Even in her death? 

“No…” Erza whimpered,  _ forcing _ her body to twist so she could see the countdown. 

It was hard to make out, nearly impossible, with her deteriorated vision, but there was no mistaking it, no denying that string of zeros lighting up the screen. 

_ I was too late.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... we're officially ten chapters away from the end! Of course, as you can probably tell, there's going to be more parts of the series after this one, and I figured I'd go ahead and give you guys a little rundown of what I have planned. So obviously, I'm going to finish up these last ten chapters (hopefully relatively quickly, now that the major fights are out of the way), after that, I'm going to start two new works of the series. 
> 
> I'm going to be simultaneously working on the Zero arc (which I plan to last fifteen chapters), and I'm super excited to actually get to work with Mavis and Zeref, and then a separate work that's going to be dealing with what everyone is up to during the year long time skip (though I'm not quite sure how many chapters long that one is going to be yet). 
> 
> And then after that, Alvarez! 
> 
> Honestly, I /NEVER/ thought I was going to make it this far when I started this, but I've loved working on this story so, so, so much! Thank you to everyone who's read this far (it makes me so happy that so many people enjoy it), and thank you especially if you've ever left any kind comments on it!


	66. Crumbling Pages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray and Natsu fight for the Book of E.N.D., and the rest of the dragons return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have officially hit the point where Natsu is becoming an extremely unreliable narrator and I am HERE for it

Jellal stumbled, suddenly feeling very faint, like all the strength in his body had just disappeared. He caught himself, leaning against a wall. “Fuck…” 

Midnight pressed their hand to their forehead. “I feel dizzy.” 

Cobra sniffed at the air. “Smells funny, the air's not right.” 

Jellal turned his attention to the Face weapon they had been trying to destroy, with next to no luck, the glow around it intensifying.  _ That can’t be good.  _ He curled his fingers, his joints feeling far too stiff. “They can’t really work that fast, can they?” He regretted not looking into the Face weapons before all of this had started. Maybe he could have learned any kind of weaknesses they may have, or at the least, how long they had before magic was really  _ gone. _

“Looks like your girlfriend couldn’t do her job,” Cobra grunted. 

Jellal grit his teeth. He had better things to do than get into it with Cobra over Erza. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. We still have to try to destroy these things.” 

“That’s impossible,” Midnight muttered, their voice as cool and soft as ever, despite the panic that was thick in the air. "We couldn't even put a crack in that thing, and we're only going to get weaker from here on out." 

“We still have to  _ try,” _ Jellal argued. 

He wasn’t going to give up, not while Erza needed him. 

* * *

Gray’s entire body ached. Well… what he could  _ feel _ ached. Parts of him were beginning to go numb, likely the result of Mard Geer’s curse. He couldn’t feel his fingers at all, and the numbness was spreading up the rest of his arm too. But nonetheless, he  _ knew _ he couldn’t give Natsu this book. 

He didn’t know why, really… he couldn’t come up with a single logical reason as to why he thought Natsu shouldn’t touch it. But some instinct in him was  _ screaming _ at him.  _ Do not let him have this book. _

Gray clutched it tighter to his chest. 

“No, no, you  _ have _ to give it to me!” Natsu shouted, the crazed look in his eyes only growing wilder. “I  _ need _ it!” He took a step towards Gray. 

A bolt of  _ fear _ shot through Gray, and he held the book tighter, shaking his head. He wasn’t scared of  _ Natsu, _ he’d  _ never _ been scared of Natsu, not once, but something wasn’t  _ right _ with him. It wasn’t like the other times he’d lost control of himself, that was wild and untamable, like a powerful fire. This… this was something else. The look of pure desperation in his eyes, he’d never seen anything like it. He had  _ no idea _ what Natsu was capable of in this state. 

“No, you don’t,” Gray said, his voice tired. It wasn’t just his body that was going numb, his emotions were beginning to dull, which should have been terrifying, but Gray couldn’t bring himself to care. “You don’t need this.” 

_ “Gray—” _ Natsu began to lunge towards him. 

“No!” Gray called on his magic, using every bit of strength he had left to summon a little blade of ice, freezing it to his numb fingers so he couldn’t accidentally drop it. And he pressed the Book of E.N.D. against the dagger. 

Natsu froze, something akin to  _ panic _ coming over his expression. “Gray…” His voice cracked. “Please, don’t.  _ Don’t! _ I need it! Please don’t hurt it!” 

Gray frowned.  _ Hurt it? _ What the hell did that even  _ mean? _ Why would he  _ phrase _ it that way? “No, you don’t,” Gray insisted. He  _ had _ to get through to him, before Natsu did something he would regret. “I promise you, you don’t need this.” 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Natsu exclaimed, before dragging his claws down the side of his face, drawing thin lines of blood. “You don’t know what you’re  _ talking about!”  _ He flared his wings, and for a terrifying second, Gray thought he was going to attack, so he pressed the knife harder against the cover of the book. 

_ “No!” _ Natsu yelped, going completely still again. “No!” 

“Natsu—” Gray had half a mind to just destroy the book anyways, damn how unhinged Natsu might get afterwards. The only thing stopping him was how guilty and upset Natsu would be once he realized he’d hurt Gray after he was thinking straight again. Because like it or not, in the state that he was in, Gray wouldn't be able to actually defend himself against the dragon slayer.

“Give it to me, Gray! Or I’ll—I’ll—” 

“You’ll  _ what, _ Natsu!?” Gray snapped. “The hell do you think you’re gonna do to me?” Antagonizing him probably wasn’t a smart idea, but Gray was running out of options. Obviously Natsu wasn’t going to listen to reason. 

The fear and panic in Natsu’s expression vanished, and the dragon slayer bared his teeth, crouching like he was ready to pounce. Anger like Gray had never seen shown in his eyes, and flames began to flicker over his body, smoke leaking from between his bared fangs. “I’ll kill you,” he snarled. 

Gray blinked. It wasn’t the first time Natsu had threatened to kill him, not by a long shot. How often had they both shouted that threat at each other during petty fights and arguments? But he’d  _ never _ heard Natsu say it like that before. 

He thought that Natsu might have actually meant it that time. 

“Natsu,” he rasped.  _ Come on,  _ please. _ Please snap out of this. This isn’t you. I’ve never seen you get this bad. _ Why was it so  _ different _ this time? Usually, when Natsu lost himself, it was like he couldn’t think straight, all he could focus on was a battle or an enemy, but Natsu was definitely thinking clearly now. Oh, his thoughts might be completely warped and backwards, but he hadn’t lost control of himself. “Please, just  _ listen _ to me!” 

Natsu didn’t even deign to reply, shifting his weight, and Gray knew nothing he said was going to stop him from attacking this time. He clutched the book tighter, preparing to shove his dagger through the cover and slice up the pages, because then… at least if Natsu attacked him, it would be too late, and the book would be destroyed, Natsu still wouldn’t get a hold of it. 

The ground shuddered, and Gray fell backwards, the book of E.N.D. tumbling out of his grasp. 

Igneel slammed Acnologia into the ground, just a few feet away from them. Acnologia shrieked, trying to push himself up to snap at Igneel, but the fire dragon dug his talons into Acnologia’s chest, forcing him to stay down. 

Gray momentarily forgot all about Natsu and the book. Had… Had Igneel really managed to defeat Acnologia? 

“Dad!” Natsu exclaimed, and Gray snapped his attention back to his friend, letting out a sigh of relief as Natsu’s eyes began to clear, losing that unhinged shine. 

“Natsu, I told you not to open the book,” Igneel said, turning his gaze to his son. “Remember?” 

Natsu frowned, and Gray noticed the dragon slayer glance towards the book that was lying on the ground now. “B-But I—” 

_ “No, _ Natsu,” Igneel snarled. “I  _ told _ you not to open it! Do you  _ understand?” _

Gray swallowed thickly. Had Natsu really been raised by this dragon? No  _ wonder _ he was so crazy! He’d spent his childhood talking back to a fucking  _ dragon. _ Of course he wasn’t actually scared of anything! Gray wasn’t too proud to admit that Igneel sent shivers up and down his spine, those reptilian eyes unsettling him. 

“But I need it,” Natsu practically whimpered, like that string of words explained everything, like nothing was more true than the fact that Natsu _needed this book._

A sad look flickered in Igneel’s eyes, but it was gone so fast that Gray almost thought he had imagined it. “Just a few minutes,” the dragon requested. “Refrain from opening it for a few more min—” 

Acnologia lunged, taking advantage of Igneel’s distraction. He shoved the fire dragon off himself, aiming a swipe of talons across Igneel’s chest, that he just barely managed to dodge. 

“Dad!” Natsu shouted, fire building in his palms, like he somehow thought he could help Igneel defeat Acnologia. 

“No!” Igneel roared. “Stay back!” 

Gray threw himself to the ground as the dragons attacked each other, curling up and covering his head with his arms.  _ Damn, _ he wished he could  _ move!  _ He was going to get crushed if he didn’t get out of here! 

He risked another look towards the dragons, just in time to watch them launch themselves back into the sky.  _ Oh thank god. _

Natsu lunged for the book while Gray was distracted. 

_ “Dammit, _ Natsu!” Gray shouted, just barely managing to force himself up to grab it before the dragon slayer got to it. 

“Gray, please!” he pleaded, and to Gray’s horror, that crazed look was coming over him again.  _ “Please!”  _

* * *

“I can walk just fine on my own, Gajeel,” Levy insisted. “I’m just a little sore and tired. You’re—” She cut herself off, but Gajeel knew what she had almost said. 

_ You’re worse off than me anyways. _

But he still refused to let go of her. Besides… if he was being honest, he was leaning on her just as much as she was leaning on him. “We just have to get back to everyone else,” he muttered. He was almost scared to find the main group, worried about what he might find. God knew who was dead or alive at this point. 

Levy sighed. “You stubborn—” 

Gajeel gasped, falling to his knees as he clutched at his chest, accidentally dragging Levy down to the ground with him. 

“Gajeel!” she exclaimed. 

Awful pain unfurled in his chest, like nothing he had ever felt before. Instinctively, his iron began to crawl across his skin, but that could do nothing against pain that was coming from  _ inside _ his body. 

“Gajeel, what’s wrong?” Levy demanded, shifting so she could look him in the eye. “Please, talk to me!” 

“Hurts,” he managed to gasp. It felt like his insides were  _ revolting, _ like the metal in his chest was trying to tear itself out. “God, it—” He clenched his teeth as an even stronger wave of pain rushed through him, and he curled up on the ground, contemplating tearing open his chest, just to get whatever this was  _ out _ of him. 

His heartbeat grew uneven, and his eyes widened as he realized what was happening. It wasn’t hard to, after he’d watched it happen to Natsu. 

_ Dammit, Metalicana.  _

“Levy, get back,” he warned. 

“What!?” she shrieked. “I’m not leaving you!” 

Weakly, he shook his head. “Trust me…” he groaned. “You need to get back…” He forced down a scream as the pain continued to build.  _ “Get back!” _

Something in his voice or expression must have gotten through to her, because Levy stopped trying to argue and she scrambled backwards. 

_ Been some time, eh, you fucking brat? _

Gajeel nearly snorted. Almost a fucking decade, and that was the first thing his father said to him? 

But all he could manage was a broken roar. 

* * *

“Wendy!” 

Wendy had no idea who was shouting her name. Maybe it was Porlyusica, or Lucy, or Lisanna, or Juvia. Hell, maybe it was all of them, maybe it was someone else entirely. Everything she heard was blending together, turning into nothing but static in her ears, as her chest felt like it was about to  _ explode. _

She felt hands grab her, but she writhed, hissing and snarling. She didn’t want to be touched! She shouldn’t be  _ touched! _ “Go away!” she growled. “Get away from me!” The hands disappeared, and she curled up, covering her body with her wings as she shuddered. 

_ Wendy, dear, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, sweetheart!  _

She shook her head. She’d already heard Grandine’s voice one time today, and she still wasn’t entirely sure whether that had been real or not, she really didn’t want to try and figure out if she was hallucinating for a second time that day. “No… no, no, no, no!” 

Her heart was racing, thundering so loudly in her ears she could scarcely make out any other sound. 

The air began to swirl around her, its pressure growing more and more intense, building right alongside the pain tearing through her entire body. 

“Mom! Mom, please!” she wailed. “Make it stop!” 

* * *

Minerva had no idea what to do when she found Sting and Rogue curled up on the ground, clutching at their chests and whimpering. At first, she thought they might have fallen victim to some type of curse, but she didn’t sense any demonic presence on or around them. 

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded as she fell to her knees next to them. “What’s going on?” 

“Min-Minerva?” Rogue rasped, forcing his eyes open to look at her. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” she said, something close to worry unfurling in her chest. “What’s wrong with you?” 

He shook his head, the shadows beginning to crawl over his body. “Don’t know… it just—It just  _ hurts!” _ He clenched his teeth with a wince, throwing his head back. 

“Sting?” Minerva attempted, turning her attention to the other dragon slayer, but he was completely frozen, one hand held over his chest, as he stared ahead at nothing, his breath coming out in labored gasps. 

“Dammit, what the hell is this!?” Minerva shouted. 

Shadow and light exploded from their bodies, and Minerva threw herself backwards. 

* * *

Natsu had no idea how to explain it. How to explain  _ why _ he needed the book that Gray held so badly. He couldn’t even focus on Igneel’s fight, the fact that his father probably needed  _ help, _ he just wanted that  _ book. _

And when Gray held it… with that ice blade pressed against its cover… it lit every nerve in Natsu’s body on fire, but most of all… it felt like Gray was  _ betraying _ him, it felt like Gray was holding that knife against Natsu’s own throat. 

He’d never felt so panicked, so hurt. Why wouldn’t Gray just give it to him? Couldn’t he see how much Natsu  _ needed _ it? 

The book was so close. So, so, so  _ close. _ Everything he needed to finally feel like  _ himself _ was  _ right there, _ but his best friend  _ wouldn’t let him have it. _

Of course he was angry! He had every right to be  _ angry. _

“I won’t let you lose yourself, Natsu,” Gray said, pressing the knife even harder against the cover. “Dammit, Natsu, I  _ won’t!”  _

_ “No!” _ Natsu shouted, lunging for Gray, just as he plunged the knife down. 

Natsu’s fingers grabbed nothing but thin air, and Gray hissed as the knife sliced into his own hand, the book vanishing in the blink of any eye. 

Natsu fell on top of Gray, their limbs tangling together, and he didn’t even notice how cold Gray’s body felt, the blood and tears that covered him, courtesy of Mard Geer’s curse. “Where’d it go?” he hissed. “What did you do with it!?” 

“Nothing, you idiot!” Gray snarled, shoving against Natsu with as much strength as he could manage. 

“Calm down, Natsu, it’s right here.” 

Natsu froze, an unnatural chill settling in the air. 

_ “You,” _ Gray snarled, forcing himself up and leaving Natsu to tumble off of him. “What the hell are you doing here? Give that back!” 

Natsu got back to his feet, whipping around to come face to face with Zeref for the second time that day. He looked just as unbothered and bored as he had been the first time, that cool curiosity never leaving his expression. He held the Book of E.N.D. in one hand, his fingers gently stroking the cover. “Hello, Natsu.” 

Natsu bared his teeth. Now there was  _ another _ person trying to take the book from him!? Gray and Igneel were going to be hard enough to get it from, and now  _ Zeref _ wanted it, too!? “The hell do you want?” 

Zeref cocked his head. “What do  _ you _ want, Natsu?” 

Natsu had to refrain from lunging at him. Why was Zeref so obsessed with that  _ damn _ question? “I want that book.” 

Zeref hummed, seemingly pleased with the answer. “Well… it’s not yours, is it, though? It belongs to E.N.D.… and me.” 

“I don’t care!” Natsu snarled. It hardly mattered who  _ Zeref _ thought it belonged to, it was  _ his _ now! 

“Natsu!” Gray grabbed onto the back of his shirt. “Fucking think about what you’re doing!” 

“Get off me!” Natsu twisted out of Gray’s grip, whipping around to bare his teeth at his friend. “Fucking stay out of this!” Gray didn’t have the  _ right _ to tell him what to do, not after he’d tried to take the book for  _ himself, _ all so he could  _ ruin _ it. Did he not understand how important it was? How much Natsu needed it? He’d thought they were friends… so why didn’t Gray  _ get it?  _

Gray sighed, an almost resigned look coming over his features. “God, have you really lost it this time?” 

Natsu huffed, turning his attention back to Zeref. He didn’t have time to listen to Gray tell him he’d gone insane. He hadn’t! Actually, he seemed to be the  _ only _ one making sense right now! Gray wanted to destroy the book, Igneel didn’t want him to open it, and Zeref  _ never _ made sense. 

“Don’t worry,” Zeref assured him. “I’m sure you’ll get your hands on this eventually.” He shifted the Book of E.N.D., placing his thumb on the corner of the cover, like he was going to flip it open. 

“No!” Gray gasped, but Natsu was hardly paying any attention to him. He was hoping with every fiber of his being that Zeref  _ did _ open that book. 

Unfortunately, he let his thumb fall away from the corner, and Natsu had to bite back a disappointed whine. 

“All in due time,” Zeref promised, with a small, sad smile. “I’ll see you again soon.” 

“No!” No, Zeref couldn’t disappear again! Not while Natsu had so many questions, not while he had that  _ damn book! _

The black wizard’s smile widened, and he held the book up in an almost teasing way. “I’m excited to see what comes of this.” 

Zeref vanished. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it really is almost the end guys. There's two more chapters that I say would actually be considered "Tartaros" chapters, and then there's just the aftermath. This arc was every bit as fun writing as I'd hoped it would be, but I'm super excited for what comes next, too!


	67. Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The slayers are reunited with their dragons, and the battle against Tartaros finally comes to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter made me... sad. I teared up a bit writing it, but ya know.... So good luck
> 
> Also, shoutout to RevlisCharm for beta reading for me!

The air was so dense that Lisanna couldn’t breathe. It felt too thick in her lungs, almost like it was trying to choke her. She’d seen Wendy’s ability to suffocate people by ripping their air away, depriving them of oxygen, but she’d never felt anything like  _ this. _ Was it possible to drown from  _ too much _ air? She fell against Elfman’s chest, clawing at her already sore throat. 

“Make her stop,” Juvia wheezed as she fell to her knees beside them as gelid winds whipped at her. “Someone has to make her stop!” 

Lisanna shook her head. Anytime any of them had tried to get closer to Wendy, they were pushed back by impenetrable winds, so wild and untamable, it felt as if they could tear you to shreds. 

She turned her gaze back to Wendy. The young dragon slayer was still screaming for her mother and writhing on the ground, barely able to be heard over the shrieking winds surrounding her body. Her wings spasmed, and her claws tried digging into her scales, creating an  _ awful _ scraping noise. 

“Child, you have to calm down!” Porlyusica coughed, attempting to approach her again. “Wendy!” 

Blinding light erupted from Wendy’s body, causing Lisanna to duck her head and cover her eyes instinctively. The girl’s voice became even more ragged, morphing into the shrieks and cries of a wounded animal, rather than anything that should have been coming from a human mouth. 

Lisanna dared to peak between her fingers, and her mouth fell open as the light surrounding Wendy expanded, beginning to form a shape.  _ Oh my god… _

“This happened to Natsu!” Lucy exclaimed. “Oh my—It happened to  _ Natsu!” _ She stumbled forward, to clutch onto Lisanna’s shoulder. “There’s a dragon inside her and it’s trying to get out!” 

_ “What!?” _ Cana demanded. 

Lisanna was about to protest, that  _ couldn’t _ be true! But then she  _ felt _ it. An overwhelming, inhuman presence, that her magic  _ ached _ for. Before she even realized what she was doing, she pulled away from Elfman, reaching her hands out, like she wanted to touch the magnificent beast forming above Wendy’s trembling body. 

“What the hell are you doing!?” Elfman grabbed the back of her shirt, yanking her backward. “Stay back!” 

The light and winds finally began to stabilize, revealing a gorgeous, marble-white dragon leaning over Wendy. 

“Mom?” Wendy exhaled, her entire body taut and trembling, her voice barely a whisper. 

Grandine leaned down, pressing her furred head against Wendy. “Hello, dear.” 

Chills raced down Lisanna’s spine, awful chills, that reminded her all too much of her body trying to absorb a soul. “Elfman…” 

“I know,” he said, his voice solemn. “She’s not alive.” 

Lisanna bit her lip. She knew souls better than most, especially the souls of different creatures, and none that still had a living body called out to her in the way that this dragon’s soul was. “Oh god, no.” She jerked her gaze to the dragon battling Acnologia, a dragon that had come from Natsu if what Lucy said was correct. That was  _ Igneel. _ That was Igneel’s  _ spirit, _ fighting. 

Meaning that he was already dead. 

He was already dead and Natsu… 

Tears pricked at Lisanna’s eyes. This was going to break him. Natsu had been searching for his father for  _ so long. _ And to finally find him, to finally get him back, only to learn that… 

“Natsu, I’m so sorry…” she whispered. 

“I promise we will catch up later,” Grandine promised Wendy, giving her one more nuzzle. “But first, I’m going to save your magic for you.” She spread her wings, the sun that was just peeking over the horizon reflecting off her shimmering fur. 

“Mom…” Wendy whimpered, reaching her hand out to brush Grandine’s fur just before the dragon took off. 

“Wendy, are you okay!?” Juvia demanded, rushing forward once Grandine was gone.

Lisanna didn’t pay them any mind. She simply watched the magnificent creature hover above them for a second, giving Wendy a proud but sad look, before she beat her wings, flying at a speed that should have been impossible as she disappeared. 

Wendy lay on her back, staring up at the empty sky, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. “She didn’t feel right…” 

“Wendy?” Juvia kneeled down next to her, with Porlyusica following her lead. 

“That was my mom.” More tears poured down her face, a ridiculously giddy smile on her face, overtaking her previous concern. “My  _ mom!” _ She laughed, and it was so  _ happy. _ “My mom is back!” 

Lisanna’s heart shattered. 

* * *

Levy squeaked and stumbled backward, her eyes widening. She fell onto her rear and scrambled back as far as she could before her back pressed up against a half-standing wall. 

“You smell like my son,” the dragon growled, closing the distance between them with one massive step. 

Levy swallowed thickly, forcing herself to look the dragon in the eye. The  _ huge, _ metal dragon that had clawed his way out of Gajeel. “I-I suppose,” she replied, trying to force the tremor out of her voice. 

“ _ Metalicana, _ ” Gajeel snarled, forcing himself up so he could stagger towards them. 

The creature bared his teeth, and at first, Levy was terrified, before she realized he was  _ smiling.  _ Well, now she knew where Gajeel and the rest of the slayers learned their large, toothy grins from. It was a  _ dragon’s _ smile. “All humans this fuckin’ small?” the dragon prompted.

“Hey!” Levy exclaimed indignantly.

Metalicana snorted with laughter, finally backing away from Levy and turning his attention to Gajeel. “Since you were too fucking incompetent, I’m gonna go keep magic from disappearing.” 

“Hold on a damn second,” Gajeel growled, just before he fell against his father’s leg. “I’ve got some fuckin’ questions!” 

“I don’t have time to answer them right now,” the dragon said. 

“I don’t give a damn, asshole!” he snarled. He sank his claws into Metalicana’s scales. “You got things to answer for!” 

“Get off me, brat!” Metalicana shook him off, leaving him to fall to the ground with a grunt of pain. 

“Gajeel!” Levy rushed over to help him back his feet, and gods help her, she was considering yelling at this dragon  _ for _ him. Metalicana had  _ abandoned _ him, left him alone and afraid, and with magic that was practically a curse waiting to happen. Gajeel had  _ every right _ to be demanding answers. “You stupid—!” Levy began, whipping around to face Metalicana again, but the dragon was already backing away, flaring his wings and taking to the sky. “Get back here!” she shrieked. 

“Lev, it’s fine,” Gajeel muttered. “Asshole’s always been that way.” 

Levy frowned, before shifting so she could support more of Gajeel’s weight. “But he-” 

“He’ll be back,” the slayer sighed. “And he’ll answer my questions, ya’ don’t have to worry.” It seemed he was finally getting tired and weak enough that he stopped trying to protest Levy’s help. 

“He’d better,” she mumbled. And if he didn’t, dragon or not, Levy was going to tear into Gajeel’s father. 

* * *

Sting didn’t know what to do as he laid his eyes on Weisslogia. He thought he might have felt tears running down his cheeks, but he couldn’t be sure. How could this be  _ happening? _ Weisslogia was  _ dead. _ Sting had killed him…hadn’t he? 

“D-dad?” he stammered, moving himself onto his hands and knees. “Dad, are you—Is that—?” 

Weisslogia shook his head. “I’m sorry, son. But we can’t do this right now.” He backed a few paces away from Sting, exchanging a glance with Skiadrum. 

“Rogue?” Sting risked a glance towards his brother, worried the second he looked away from the dragon, he would vanish again. 

“I don’t understand,” Rogue whimpered. “You can’t be real, you can’t be, you—” He clenched his teeth, a strangled sob escaping him. 

Skiadrum sighed and bowed his head. “Rogue, I’m sorry, it’s—” 

“What the  _ fuck _ is going on!?” Minerva shouted suddenly, reminding everyone of her presence as she lurched forward to cling onto Rogue, her eyes wide with fear. Not that Sting could blame her. She was face-to-face with two dragons, after never having been in such close proximity to even  _ one _ before. It was enough to terrify  _ anyone _ who wasn’t used to these beasts. “Were these things  _ inside _ you!?” 

Skiadrum leaned down, a vicious snarl thrumming in his chest. “Get your hand off my son,  _ demon!”  _

“Skiadrum!” Rogue held one hand up and grabbed Minerva’s hand with the other. “It’s okay, she’s…she’s my…friend?” 

Skiadrum’s growling didn’t cease, but he backed off. “I apologize, Rogue. I know there are many things we must discuss, but it will have to wait a bit longer.” 

Sting turned back to Weisslogia, and he still just couldn’t believe it. “You’re real?” he couldn’t help but ask, like he needed to hear it confirmed, needed to hear those words come from his father’s mouth. 

“I assure you that I am, Sting, but Skiadrum is correct,” he sighed, a resigned look overtaking his features. “We will have to explain later.” 

“You  _ died! _ ” Sting cried out, no longer able to reign his emotions in. He was upset and confused and hurt and  _ pissed. _ “You were fucking  _ dead! _ ” 

Weisslogia shook his head. “ _ Later, _ Sting.” He spread his wings, and the air buffeted against Sting as he flapped them, leaping into the sky with Skiadrum promptly following. 

Sting could only stare after them, his mind still desperately playing catch up. None of his memories were making sense, he  _ knew _ he had killed Weisslogia, but if that were true, why was he  _ here? _

He fell backward, and dug his hand down his chest. Had Weisslogia really come from inside him? Had he truly been the cause of that unbearable pain? 

“Sting?” Rogue limped over, still gently holding onto Minerva and tugging her after him. 

“They’re here,” he whimpered. “The dragons are back.” 

* * *

Erza’s body refused to obey her. As frustrated as it made her, Erza couldn’t say she blamed it. She was exhausted, she’d been tortured, had all her senses ripped away, and she’d still forced it to fight. Her senses were gradually returning, leaving her to squint to see. Yet she still didn’t hear a thing, and she wasn’t sure if that was due to her hearing still being locked away, or if it was because nothing was happening around her. 

She desperately tried to force her body to move. She had to do something, warn someone, that she hadn’t been able to defeat Kyoka in time. Never mind that, she didn’t want to look at Kyoka’s creepy, paling face anymore. At the least, she’d like to face Mirajane, not only to make sure she was okay, but if this was really the end and magic was going to fade…she’d feel better if she was with her girlfriend. 

Something beeped. It was faint, but thanks to the absolute silence beforehand, it was an extremely jarring noise. Her mouth twitched into a frown. What the hell was that? 

Erza tore her eyes away from Kyoka’s still face to stare at the lacrima screen. The string of zeros had vanished, to be replaced by hundreds of little glowing dots. Or perhaps they were more detailed than dots, but her vision was still too blurry and dim to tell. 

The beep sounded again, and she thought there might have been a shift in hue in some of the dots, accompanying each sound of the alarm. 

A dangerous hope unfurled in Erza’s chest. Those alarms couldn’t mean anything good for the Face weapons. 

Were they malfunctioning? Or somehow being destroyed? 

Was their magic going to be saved? 

Her eyes began to slip shut, but Erza pried them back open. She couldn’t pass out. Not now, not yet. Not until she knew for  _ sure. _

Not until she knew that everyone was safe. 

* * *

_ Jellal!  _

Jellal froze, tearing his gaze away from the sky as the massive dragons continued to tear through the Face weapons like they were made of paper.  _ Meredy? _

He’d known that she had begun learning long-distance communication spells, but he hadn’t realized that she had already mastered them. 

_ Yeah, I think we should get out of here, _ her voice echoed through his head. 

“She’s right.” 

Jellal jumped. He hadn’t realized Cobra was so  _ close,  _ though it made sense that he could hear Meredy’s voice as well. “We should leave. The Faces are being destroyed, and the Council might have been fucked to hell, but that doesn’t mean people like us are in the clear.” 

Jellal gnawed at his lip. Cobra wasn’t wrong _. _ Just because most of the Council was dead, it didn’t mean that all of them were. Plus, Kagura and Milliana were still in the city, as well as other Mermaid Heel members, and he knew they would be all too happy to bring them in. Even if the Council didn’t have the time or power to try and imprison them anymore, that didn’t mean that the royal family wouldn’t. “Okay, let’s go.” 

He heard Meredy let out a sigh of relief.  _ Meet me and everyone else outside of Magnolia. _ And the connection was cut off. 

Jellal couldn’t help but smile. There was no real reason for them to go to Magnolia. It was out of the way, and one way or another, the battle would be over by the time they got back there. Meredy was simply giving him the chance to check up on Erza and make sure she was okay. 

“So are we going?” Midnight asked, before falling to sit on a hunk of rubble and run a hand through their hair. 

Jellal turned his attention back towards the sky and the rising sun. The dragons were long gone now, probably on their way to the next Face weapons. 

He still couldn’t believe they were back. After the battle in Crocus, well…he thought that the creatures were gone for good. Aside from Acnologia, they were all long dead. But then again…the dragon slayers had sworn up and down they were raised by these creatures. 

_ I wonder if…  _ Jellal hummed, before shaking his head. It wasn’t like it mattered if these dragons were the slayers’ parents. He could ask Erza later, certainly. She would know, given how close she was with Natsu. Besides…he and the rest of Crime Sorciere had better things to be doing than chasing after long-dead dragons. “Yes, let’s get going,” he said. With any luck, they could be back to Magnolia by nightfall. 

* * *

Mavis did not miss the way Makarov sighed as he watched the dragons tear across the morning-pink sky. 

She might have admired the quarreling beasts had she not had so many other things occupying her thoughts. She’d felt Zeref’s presence for a split second earlier, closer and stronger than he had been before, but it had faded just as quickly. She wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t gotten truly involved with the battle, but now she couldn’t help but be curious as to  _ why _ he had been here in the first place.

Did it have something to do with Natsu? Or had he finally had enough of Tartaros? Neither answer boded well. 

“Did I do the right thing?” Makarov asked suddenly, turning his gaze to the ground like he could see the Lumen Histoire beneath. 

Mavis closed her eyes and gently clasped her hands together. “Of course you did.” The Lumen Histoire had not been meant for this battle. And the world may not survive if it was used before the time was right. But of course… 

Makarov didn’t know any of that. 

“Besides,” she opened her eyes again and stepped over, forcing Makarov to give her his full attention. “Our fairies proved themselves well tonight.” 

The guild master’s frown deepened. “Proved themselves for what?” 

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,” she hummed. Oh, how she yearned to confide in Makarov, she really did. He reminded her so,  _ so _ much of Yuri. But…he would never approve of what she planned to use his “children” for. 

“What  _ can _ you tell me, First Master?” the old man inquired, an intensity burning in his gaze that could rival her own. 

“Nothing you don’t already know,” Mavis turned away, letting strands of fair hair tumble into her field of vision. She wanted to assure him that it was almost over, that it was finally time for it all to come to an end in one brilliant blaze of magic, but he would never understand. Never understand why his guild and the mages he cared for so much must go through all of this. 

He would never forgive her for what she had sentenced Cana to, for the responsibilities she had placed on Erza’s shoulders, for the horrors that Natsu still had to endure, for what Gray had to become, for the hopelessness Gajeel and Wendy must face, for all the suffering every other member of the guild would be put through. 

Mavis would never forgive  _ herself. _

Because this battle had done it. Tartaros had solidified her choices, just as she had expected it to. 

Except now…that meant more than just damning herself. It meant finally damning her beloved guild as well. 

“Am I correct to assume…” Makarov began, “That you keep the answers from me because I wouldn’t like them?” 

“That would be a fair assumption, yes,” Mavis nodded. Confirming or denying, it would all lead him to the same conclusion in the end.

“I’ve noticed your interest in them,” he continued. “You really think I haven’t? Ever since Tenrou, I’ve felt your presence watching them. I don’t know what you intend to do with them, but if you won’t tell me, I can only come to the conclusion that it is nothing good.” 

Mavis didn’t reply. She knew Makarov was a clever man. She never should have fed him what little scraps of information she had. 

“So what will you do if I try to stop you?” he questioned. 

Mavis couldn’t help it. She laughed. It was a sharp, bitter noise, nothing like the joyful laughter she remembered from her youth. “No one could stop it now if they tried.” 

Mavis had decided.  _ Magic _ had decided. 

And they would have their fairies. 

* * *

“GRAY!” 

The second Zeref disappeared, Gray finally collapsed, his body unable to support him any longer. 

Natsu bolted towards him, forgetting all about Zeref and the book. He didn’t even notice the way that it slipped from his mind, as if it hadn’t just been the most important thing in the world to him mere seconds ago. 

As he laid his hands on Gray’s shoulders, preparing to grab him and help him to his feet, Gray flinched as soon as Natsu came in contact with him.

“Gray?” Was he too hot? He’d thought he’d calmed his fire down enough to touch Gray, but sometimes during battles he didn’t realize how high his body temperature truly got. However, he quickly realized that wasn’t the case here. “Gray, you’re hurt.” He needed  _ help. _ He’d just taken the full force of Tartaros’s most powerful curse, not to mention any injuries he might have sustained before then. Natsu had to get him to Wendy or Porlyusica as quickly as he possibly could. 

“Natsu?” Gray blinked slowly, and he stared at his friend with confusion written all over his face. “Is that…are you  _ you _ again?” 

Natsu frowned, his eyebrows pinching together in concern. “‘Course I’m me.” What the hell was Gray talking about? Had he hit his head or something?

Though he didn’t draw back or resist when Natsu lifted him up this time, Gray still seemed very reluctant to accept Natsu’s help. He kept his grip on the dragon slayer light, as though he might need to flee at a moment’s notice. “Gray, what’s  _ wrong _ ?” Natsu asked, that feeling of dread only growing.

“You…you lost yourself there for a bit,” Gray muttered quietly, no discernible emotion in his voice. “But I…I dunno, I’ve never seen you snap out of it like this before.” 

Natsu cocked his head. Now he was even  _ more _ confused. “No, I didn’t.” He felt like  _ maybe _ he started to go a bit feral when he’d faced off with Mard Geer, but he’d defeated the demon before he was too far gone. And besides…Gray had seen him rampage before. Yet he’d never…he’d never reacted like  _ this. _

Concern and a bit of  _ fear _ flashed over Gray’s wan features, but he quickly schooled them into a neutral expression. “You…didn’t?” 

The dragon slayer shook his head. Had that curse done more to Gray than he originally thought? Because he really didn’t seem to be thinking straight. “No, I didn’t,” he repeated. “Come on, you really should see Wendy.” 

“Natsu—” Gray began, his voice strained, but Natsu didn’t give him the chance to finish before he was repositioning Gray and dragging him through the rubble of Tartaros. 

“Natsu, really,” the wounded ice mage tried again. “Something wasn’t  _ right _ with you.” 

“You think I don’t know that?” Natsu hissed before he could stop himself. “I  _ know _ I’m fucked up, Gray. You don’t have to point it out.” Without meaning to, he burrowed his claws into Gray’s side, though he didn’t notice until his friend gasped in pain. “Shit, fuck, I’m sorry,” Natsu apologized as he yanked his claws out as gently as he could. “I’m sorry, I—” 

Gray wheezed as he bent over sharply, and to Natsu’s horror, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, the deep red liquid splattering against the ground and dripping down Gray’s bone-white skin. 

Natsu grit his teeth and tightened his grip on him. By now, he was practically  _ dragging _ him, with Gray barely able to support his own weight at all, but he didn’t care. Natsu just knew he had to get him to Wendy before it was too late. 

“H-hey, come on,” Natsu stammered when Gray suddenly went quiet. Far, far too quiet for his liking. “Keep telling me off about how screwed in the head I am. Come on!” 

“I’m not joking…” the demon slayer breathed, his voice so scratchy and low that Natsu doubted he would have been able to understand him without his heightened hearing. “You were…Natsu, you threatened to  _ kill me. _ ”

The air caught in Natsu’s throat and he nearly stopped walking. Because…he had said that, hadn’t he? He  _ had _ threatened to kill Gray, and much to his dismay…Natsu thought he might have meant it. But that couldn’t be right! Gray was his best friend, he didn’t want to hurt him, much less  _ kill  _ him.

But then…why had he considered it for a second? 

“I’m worried…” Gray continued, drawing Natsu’s attention to him despite his voice being even softer than before. “About you. What if…what if…” 

_ What if I’m starting to lose myself for good?  _

The thought almost had Natsu halting in his tracks again, but another concerning, gargled choking noise from Gray forced him to keep moving. Besides, that couldn’t be right. That wasn’t what was  _ happening. _ Sure, Natsu had a bit of a temper, and…and sometimes he blacked out during fights, but that didn’t have to  _ mean _ anything!

It didn’t have to mean that he was going to snap one day and turn on everyone he cared about. Or that he was truly turning into some kind of horrific monster. 

“Just hang on, alright?” the dragon slayer reassured shakily. “I can smell Wendy, she ain’t too far, and you’re gonna be fine, and we’ll all go back to the guild and everything will go back to normal, alright?” 

“Ha…” Gray managed to lift his head, a wry, broken smile on his bloodied face. Natsu hated how pale he was, how  _ tired _ his eyes looked. “Sure we will.” 

“We  _ will,” _ Natsu insisted. “We’re going to—” 

An awful, terrifying,  _ broken _ roar had Natsu grinding to a standstill and Gray slipping from his grasp as it felt like every bit of strength left in Natsu’s body vanished, replaced with a sudden sickening sensation.

_ No… _

He didn’t want to look—he  _ couldn’t _ look, because he’d never heard Igneel roar like that, not even once. 

But his body moved without him telling it to, and his head tilted upward to stare at the brightening sky. 

_ No!  _

He’d just gotten him back, Igneel had  _ promised. _ He’d promised! He’d promised that they would get to talk, that he would  _ explain, _ and Natsu was going to get to press up against him, resting on his forelegs and leaning against his jaw, just like he’d done as a kid as Igneel told him everything. He was going to show his father how much stronger he had become, show him that his fangs had grown in, and tell him excitedly how their scales matched. He was going to introduce his father to Gray and Erza, and to Lisanna, he was sure the dragon would love them. 

_ NO!  _

It was like the fire in his chest had been doused. He’d never felt so cold, so weak, so hopeless. 

“Please, no…” he whimpered. He didn’t even notice Gray was already offering support, trying to force his tattered form up so he could grab Natsu’s hand, before hoarsely calling out his name when he didn’t respond. 

He was screaming. He knew he was. He could hear it, even if sound had become detached; it didn’t feel like it was coming from him. He was screaming for his father, his  _ dad, _ as burning, salty tears streamed down his cheeks. 

Igneel’s teeth sank into Acnologia’s leg, the limb ripping away so quickly Natsu barely heard the tear or the crack or the crunch. He didn’t care as putrid blood sprang from the wound, as shattered pieces of Acnologia’s bone rained down over the battlefield. 

Because Acnologia’s claws had sunk into Igneel’s underbelly, ripping and tearing with so much force that there was a  _ hole _ in his father’s side. A gaping, terrible hole, with so much blood leaking from it it sounded like a wave hitting the ground. Jagged, bloody ribs jutted out from the wound, and Natsu thought Gray might have retched as Acnologia flicked the mass of Igneel’s flesh from his talons, leaving it to hit the ground with a sickening  _ thwap, _ mere meters away from where they watched. 

The black dragon fled, his massive wings carrying him away so quickly no one could hope to follow, but Natsu didn’t care. 

He was running, even as Gray tried to grab him. His friend’s fingers barely brushed Natsu’s hand before he was  _ sprinting.  _

He cursed Mard Geer for fracturing his wing. It wasn’t the pain that bothered him, but the bones seemed to have broken in such a way that it was literally impossible for him to move it in the needed way to fly. 

He didn’t know why he was running. With a wound like that…it didn't matter how fast Natsu got to his father. 

His chest ached as he sobbed, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. 

_ No, no, no, no, NO!  _ This couldn’t be happening, this couldn’t be  _ real!  _ Not after so long, not after  _ everything. _

Igneel wasn’t…his father wasn’t…! 

Natsu skidded around the fallen bodies of Tartaros members, slamming into half-standing walls as he refused to slow down. 

He bit into his lip hard enough that his teeth sliced into it, but not even the blood in his mouth, trickling down his chin, could ground him. All he felt was the  _ fear, _ and the crushing, suffocating knowledge that there was  _ nothing he could do.  _

He swore the entire earth shook when Igneel’s body hit the ground. Certainly, everyone in Magnolia had felt it. 

Natsu didn’t know how long it took him to get to the small crater his father’s body had created, just outside of the ruins of Tartaros, but it  _ wasn’t fast enough. _ His father was splayed over the ground, the massive pool of crimson beneath him only growing larger, blending with his scales and wings. 

This wasn’t how Igneel was supposed to die. No, no, this wasn’t  _ right. _ Killed by another dragon, by  _ Acnologia, _ and left to bleed out on the ground all because of Natsu. 

If he had just helped him fight against Acnologia…if he hadn’t been so obsessed with the Book of E.N.D….Natsu wailed as he realized Igneel  _ would have won _ if he hadn’t gotten distracted warning Natsu not to open that book. 

_ It’s all my fault. It’s—it’s— _

He slid down into the crater, pretending he didn’t notice the scent of copper and death in the air. If he ignored it, it would go away, if he just looked at Igneel’s face, it was fine. It was  _ fine. _ He wasn’t dying, there wasn’t a hole torn through him, it was—

“Natsu…” the dragon rumbled, using the tiny bit of strength he had left to turn his head towards him. 

“Please don’t go,” Natsu whimpered, throwing himself forward to grasp onto his father’s head. “Please don’t leave me again!” he wailed. “I just got you back! I can’t—I can’t—! I need you, I  _ miss _ you!” He clutched him tighter, digging his claws into his father’s scales, desperately ignoring his stuttering heartbeat, and his uneven, jagged breaths. “You can’t leave me again!” He sniffled and rubbed his face against Igneel’s, miserably drinking in his father’s scent while he still could. “Not again…please, dad…” 

Igneel tilted his head, leaning into the touch the best he could. “I’m sorry, son…” 

“No…” Natsu clung onto him, trying to convince himself that everything was okay. They were still in their little section of the forest, and the sun was coming up, meaning it was almost time for breakfast. They’d have to wake Gajeel up because he would sleep all day if they let him. Igneel and Natsu would cook whatever had been hunted, and then Natsu could curl up next to his father, savoring his warmth as the dragon told him more about fire and his magic. “Please don’t go.  _ Please! _ ” 

Silence greeted his pleas, and Natsu’s entire world came crashing down around him in an instant. 

_ Silence.  _ No words from his father, no fire crackling in his chest, no breaths, no heartbeat. Complete and utter silence _.  _

Natsu shook his head, still pressing against Igneel’s scales,  _ praying _ that he was just imagining them getting colder. “No…” He fell to his knees, his claws scraping down his father’s jaw as a heartbroken roar built in his throat. “No!” 

Igneel was gone. His father was  _ gone. _ Really, truly,  _ gone. _

He didn’t know what to do as his trembling body gave out. “Please, no…” He’d found him after nearly a decade of searching, he’d finally been reunited with his father again. 

Only to have him ripped away in the cruelest way imaginable. 

It almost looked like Igneel was sleeping, if Natsu ignored the pool of scarlet growing beneath him. The dragon’s head was tilted to the side, with his leg pulled up beneath his chin, his joint creating that perfect place for Natsu to curl up and sleep, too, pressed right up against his father. 

He dragged himself to his feet, stumbling a few paces over to fall against Igneel’s foreleg, before crawling on top of the limb and settling down in the space between the dragon’s head and his leg. 

More tears than he had ever cried dripped down his face as he gently leaned against Igneel’s jaw, pretending his father was just as warm as he’d always been. He could stay like this for a little while, just to pretend. Just to pretend that his father was still here, and when he woke up, Natsu could tell him all about everything that had happened to him, he could make his father proud. 

His eyes slipped shut, and he imagined he could hear Igneel’s rumbling breaths, not just his own, quiet sobs. “Hey, Dad,” he whispered. “It’s good to see you again. I’ve got so much to tell you.” 


	68. Farewell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dragon slayers must say goodbye to their parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're ready to be sad

Rogue’s hands covered his mouth as he watched Igneel fall, a choked sob building in his throat. He hadn’t been exceptionally close with the fire dragon, but he had let Rogue sleep with him on cold nights and was always so warm and kind. 

He had no idea where Natsu was, but he could hear his brother wail. He suspected the entire battlefield had heard it; that pained, broken roar of a sound.

“Oh gods,” Sting gasped, falling to his knees. “Natsu is gonna—” he furiously rubbed away the tears streaming down his face. “Oh  _ gods _ .” 

“What?” Minerva asked worriedly, still leaning on Rogue for support. “Isn’t this good? Acnologia is fleeing.” 

Honestly, Rogue hadn’t even noticed that— he couldn’t bring himself to  _ care. _ Igneel dying was too big of a price for this victory. Acnologia hadn’t even been defeated, he was just  _ running away. _ “That’s Natsu’s dad,” Rogue finally managed to tell her. “He was—” his voice cracked. “He was like an uncle to me.” 

“Oh…” There was nothing in Minerva’s tone, maybe  _ something _ resembling curiosity, but not much more than that. Not that Rogue was expecting any kind of sympathy or intense emotion from her on his behalf at this point. 

But then she wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. “I… I’m sorry.” She tilted her head, and the side of her horn brushed against Rogue’s ear. “I truly am.” 

Rogue had no idea if she meant the words. Honestly, she probably didn’t, but the fact that she was trying… that meant something. 

“Look!” Sting stared up at the sky. “They’re coming back!” 

The sun was high enough now that the sky had turned a soft hue of blue, making it very easy to see Weisslogia, Skiadrum, Metalicana, and Grandine flying back towards Magnolia. Rogue was going to get to see his father again, actually speak to him, after he’d believed he was  _ dead  _ for fifteen years. They were all going to be reunited with their parents again. 

Except for Natsu.

“I can go,” Minerva suggested. “It’s not my place to be here; not now.” She pulled away from Rogue, but he caught her wrist and stopped her. 

“You’re not going anywhere.” He shook his head. “You’re returning to Sabertooth with us—with me.” 

“I…” Minerva turned her head away and bit her lip. Rogue dimly noticed she had fangs that could rival his siblings’ now. “I want to, but I—” She sighed as her shoulders drooped. “It’s not even about Sabertooth, if that’s truly your  _ father— ”  _

“I’ll have plenty of time to catch up with him,” Rogue insisted. And while he did have a lot of questions for Skiadrum, he couldn’t afford to let Minerva out of his sight. He was worried she might run, or due to her demonic nature now, someone might try to kill her. Besides… “I’d like you to meet him.” Minerva was important to him. It would be… nice to actually get to introduce her to his parent. 

Though reluctant, she mumbled an agreement. 

“I still can’t believe they’re alive,” Sting said breathlessly. “I never thought…” 

“Yeah,” Rogue agreed. “But they’re really back.” 

* * *

Before anyone could stop her, Wendy was running. She could smell her mother’s scent on the early morning breeze, and she wasn’t going to wait another second to be reunited with her. Grandine was so  _ close, _ waiting for her just outside the city. Honestly, not as many people noticed her running as she had expected, but then again, Wendy’s magic wasn’t causing a panic anymore. Porlyusica was too busy trying to create that antidote for Laxus and his team, Mest was too preoccupied with Lahar, Juvia’s injuries were finally catching up to her, and Lucy was too tired to even remain conscious anymore. She was pretty sure the only ones who even noticed were Lisanna, Elfman, and Cana, but none of them said anything, which she was thankful for. 

She considered trying to fly for a brief moment but decided against it. That was going to take a lot of practice, and she didn’t want to make any injuries she had worse by attempting it before her body was ready. The muscles in her back and wings were brand new, she couldn’t overwork them like that. 

She found Grandine waiting for her just outside the battlefield. As regal as ever, with her head held high and her tail curled around her feet, her shimmering fur catching the sun’s rays. 

“Mom!” Wendy somehow managed to make her legs move faster, and she _threw_ herself at Grandine, burning her face in her mother’s fur and wrapping her arms around her, a contented purr budding in her chest. “Mom, it’s really you?” 

Grandine chuckled, before leaning down to brush the top of Wendy’s head with her nose. “Yes, it’s me dear.” 

“I missed you!” Wendy’s claws caught on her fur. “I missed you so much! Where did you  _ go? _ Why did you  _ leave? _ I—” 

Grandine shifted, before nudging Wendy backwards, sadness shining in her sky blue eyes. “I will explain as best I can, Wendy, but I’m afraid we don’t have as much time as I’d like.” 

“Huh?” Wendy’s ears drooped, and her eyebrows pinched together. “What are you talking about?” Grandine wasn’t going to leave her yet  _ again, _ was she? 

“Can’t you sense it?” Her mother tilted her head down. “I know you probably can.” 

Wendy shook her head, a desperate sadness welling up inside her. She knew her mother was right, she had sensed it the second Grandine had returned, but she didn’t want to admit it. She’d forced it aside, determined to focus only on the fact that her mother was  _ back, _ not that she….that she…. 

“I’m just a spirit.”

Wendy fell backwards before she knew what was happening, her wings curling tight around her body as if they could shield her from her mother’s words. “No,” she whimpered pitifully, shaking her head, wilder and wilder as she grasped madly at anything she could use to deny what she’d just heard. “No, you can’t be! You really…” Had everyone been right all along? Had the dragons truly died all those years ago when they’d left them alone? 

A horrifying thought crashed through her and her stomach filled with an awful dread. “Did I…did I  _ kill _ you?” It would…it would make sense, somewhat. She, Natsu, and Gajeel had no memory of the dragons disappearing, they were simply gone one day, but Sting and Rogue were  _ adamant _ that Skiadrum and Weisslogia had convinced them to kill them. It was entirely plausible that—

“No! No, of course not dear,” Grandine assured her hurriedly. “And your brothers didn’t kill their fathers either.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Skiadrum and Weisslogia are just stubborn morons.” 

Wendy couldn’t find it in her to laugh, even though Grandine clearly expected her to. “Then what happened?” What could possibly have destroyed five dragons like this? 

Grandine reached out, pulling Wendy closer, letting her snuggle up against her. “Wendy, I’m going to tell you some things. And I want you to know that I  _ do _ love you, sweetheart. I love you with all my heart. You may not believe me when I’m done, and I will accept that, but I do want you to know that this doesn’t mean I loved you any less.” 

Wendy’s entire body stiffened as she recalled all the times her brothers had talked about the dragons  _ using _ them for something. Had they really done that? Had they seriously wanted to use them like that? “What do you mean?” she dared to ask, fighting back the tears that had begun to prick at her eyes.

Because this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to find Grandine, and they were supposed to have a happy reunion. Grandine was supposed to explain how she never wanted to leave, and then Wendy was going to tell her all about her life, what she had been doing, and introduce her mother to all the people that were important to her. 

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. 

Grandine took a deep breath and slowly began. “There was a plan to defeat Acnologia… it was believed that he could only be defeated by his own kind: a human-based dragon.” 

The tears escaped, a strangled sob forcing its way out of Wendy’s throat because that sentence alone was enough to tell her what had happened.  _ Failed weapons, that really was all we were. _ “You  _ wanted _ us to turn into dragons.”

“Yes, we did,” Grandine confirmed sadly, “That was the initial reason we decided to raise you.” 

“So all those times you told me to try and act human—why would you  _ do _ that? You—!” 

“Like I told you before,” the healer interrupted, “I wanted to let you experience life as a human for as long as you could.” The dragon let out a weary sigh. “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I regretted what I would be putting you through.” 

Wendy pulled away from Grandine, and though hurt flashed across her features, she didn’t try to coax her back into her touch. “And you couldn’t even tell us?” 

“You were four years old when we parted ways,” Grandine went on. “Truly, Wendy, even if I did tell you, do you think you would have had the capacity to understand?” 

No, she knew she didn’t. But it still didn’t seem  _ right. _ To never ask her what she wanted, to never even  _ warn _ her. But that didn’t matter right now. It was done. Nothing could be done to change it. Her mother had wanted to turn her into a dragon specifically so she could kill another dragon. “Okay.” What else was there to say other than  _ okay? _ Grandine wasn’t even apologizing, not that Wendy wanted her to, because she would have no idea what to do with that either. “It was really you, earlier, when I changed, wasn’t it?” 

“Yes, it was,” Gradine said. “I was worried about you. You had stopped your transformation, but for some reason it started again, but you were fighting it. Fighting it so hard that I was worried you were going to tear yourself apart. I needed to convince you to accept it.” 

She hummed, attempting to blink back the tears that were still streaming down her face. So not even Grandine knew anything about the strange entity that seemed to want Wendy to be a dragon, just as much as her mother had. “Where did you go?” she finally asked. “You…you  _ died. _ Why? H-how?” She couldn’t forget that, she was talking to her mother’s  _ ghost, _ and she could feel it growing weaker by the second. She didn’t have the luxury of breaking down and wasting this precious time crying. 

“I wish I had the time to explain it to you in more detail, everything that actually happened,” Grandine said. “But I don’t. The best explanation I can give you, is that we gave up our physical bodies, so we could bond ourselves to your souls.” 

Subconsciously, Wendy held her hand over her chest. So that agonizing pain earlier had been Grandine ripping herself from Wendy’s very  _ soul? _ She had to fight back a shudder. “But why? Why would you ever  _ do _ something like that?” 

“There were two reasons,” Grandine sighed, and Wendy swore that her form flickered for a moment. They didn’t have much time left. “One, was so when the time came, we could help you fight against Acnologia, give you an even better chance of defeating him. But considering how weak our powers were when we bonded ourselves to you, and the fact that we would have been even weaker after breaking that spell… it was a fool’s hope that we might stand a chance against him.” 

“And the second reason?”

“Was to protect you,” Grandine answered. “The transformation into a dragon… it’s a dangerous thing. When dragon slayers were in abundance, at least half of them died midway through the change due to the strain and trauma it placed on their bodies, and that was if they didn’t just lose their sanity first.” She looked away, like she couldn’t face Wendy while she was describing the agonizing pain she might have gone through if their plan had worked. “Not only did our spirits bonded to your own get your body used to holding the power of a dragon, but we were able to dull the pain the best we could. Due to the nature of my magic, I was able to offer you more of a reprieve than the boys received… but we all did the best we could.” 

Wendy’s wings twitched as she recalled the awful pain Natsu had gone through during his changes. Had the pain truly been softened for her? She couldn’t even imagine the agony other dragon slayers had gone through… 

Grandine’s from shimmered again, snapping Wendy out of her thoughts. 

“I’m afraid our time is up, dear,” the dragon said. “At least this time, I’m able to offer you a goodbye, though.” 

“No,” Wendy whimpered, shaking her head and jerking forward to cling onto Grandine’s legs again. Despite what the dragon had just told her, she was still Wendy’s mother, someone she had been searching for for  _ years _ now. She didn’t have the luxury to be angry or upset with her. “Not again…” She rubbed her face against Grandine, and she realized she’d forgotten her mother’s scent, the breezy sky, like the purest winds Wendy had ever experienced. “Please, not again, Mom…” 

Grandine nuzzled her. “I’m so sorry, Wendy. But I want you to know, that I’m incredibly proud of you, and that will stay true, no matter what you decide to do with your life and your abilities.” Her warm breath tickled Wendy’s skin as she pressed closer. “I love you, live a good, long life, okay?” 

Wendy nodded, pressing her face into Grandine’s fur. “I will, I promise, I—” 

The fur and muscle beneath her fingers vanished, leaving Wendy grasping at thin air as strangled wail escaped her. 

* * *

“You did  _ what _ to me!?” 

Gajeel couldn’t say he was  _ surprised. _ After all, he’d come to the conclusion that Metalicana and the rest of the dragons had to have  _ known _ what their magic would do to them, and it was also odd that dragons wanted to raise bratty human kids anyways. 

But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t allowed to be  _ pissed.  _ “It’s  _ yer _ fault this happened to me!” he accused, his wings flaring wide on instinct. “You fuckin’ asshole!” 

Metalicana  _ laughed _ at him. He threw his head back and  _ cackled. _

“It’s not  _ fucking _ funny!” Gajeel snapped, halfway considering swiping his claws across his father’s stupid face. “You couldn’t have fucking  _ asked!? _ ”  _ Gods, _ he wanted to hit something, his claws itched to tear into something. 

Because it wasn’t just him. All four of his siblings had been damned to that fate, too. They were supposed to have their bodies twisted and remade into something unrecognizable, all so they could take on a fucking monster and probably die in the process! 

He glanced over at Levy, who had listened to everything the dragon had said with wide eyes, and even  _ she _ was starting to look a little pissed off on his behalf. 

Metalicana’s laughter abruptly cut off, and he leaned down to bare his teeth at Gajeel. “And so what if I had, brat?” 

Gajeel snarled. 

“Would it have changed anything?” he asked. “Be honest, you would have starved to death in a fucking alley if I hadn’t taken you in, and you were chomping at the bit to learn magic! I coulda told you you’d turn into a dragon, and you still would have fucking stayed with us.” 

“Fucking prick,” Gajeel muttered. He couldn’t do this right now. Unlike Natsu and Wendy, he’d given up on ever seeing any of their dragons ever again. He had better things to do than search for them when they were either dead or had left them of their own accord. So now… having to come face to face with his father again, and learn that he was responsible for his magic turning him into a dragon, while the pain was still fresh from Seilah’s experiments…  _ well…  _ Gajeel wasn’t in the  _ fucking _ mood. 

“What is wrong with you?” Levy whispered angrily. “How could you  _ do _ this to them?” She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “Didn’t you  _ care _ about them?” 

Metalicana snorted. “‘Course we did. Wouldn’t have put up with ‘em for so long if we didn’t. But Acnologia had to be more important than the random kids we all found.” He leaned over to sniff at the script mage again, despite her indignant  _ Hey! _ “Seriously though, what the hell are you doin’ with this bastard?” He glanced back at Gajeel. “You’re far too cute and sweet for him.” 

“Fuck off!” Gajeel shouted. 

Metalicana backed up a pace. “Fine then. I’ve only got a few more minutes anyway.” 

Gajeel’s entire body stiffened. “Huh?” 

“I’m fucking  _ dead, _ son,” the dragon said. “Bonding myself to your soul meant giving up my body and most of my power. Mighta been able to stick around for a little longer if I didn’t use so much destroying those Faces. But this is it for me, and the other dragons, too.” 

A feeling like icy water rushed over Gajeel. “You…” He fell backwards, barely even noticing as Levy rushed over to make sure he was okay. 

He may be pissed, but he didn’t want to watch his father  _ die. _ He still had questions, and never mind that, even if he didn’t want to admit it, he had  _ missed _ Metalicana. “You can’t just  _ die! _ ” 

Much to his horror, Metalicana’s body began to flicker. “I don’t have much of a choice,” the dragon said. He smiled at Levy again. “Take good care of my brat for me, alright, young lady?” 

“I…” She pressed closer to Gajeel, offering what little comfort she could. “I’ll do my best, sir.” 

Metalicana sniffed. “ _ Sir. _ ” He rolled his eyes, as his body shimmered into a bright light. “See ya, Gajeel.” 

A pitiful keening noise escaped Gajeel as he watched his father fade. His shoulders hunched and his wings wrapped around him. What had he  _ done? _ He’d only had a precious few minutes with his father, and he’d spent them  _ yelling _ at him. 

“I’m sorry.” Levy pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Gajeel.” 

He shook his head, wiping at his eyes with his uninjured hand. He hadn’t even noticed the tears at first. God, how many times had he cried today? “Just a stupid dragon…” he muttered. 

Levy sighed. “He was your father, and it’s okay to be upset.” 

Gajeel fell against her, leaning into the crook of her shoulder. Normally, he would have hated for  _ anyone _ to see him like this, so broken and weak. 

But he was glad she was here. 

* * *

Sting broke down sobbing the second Weisslogia revealed he hadn’t actually killed him. Honestly, he probably should have been angry with his father for putting him through something like that, but all he could feel was relief, like an awful burden was lifted, and the guilt that had followed him for  _ fifteen years _ disappeared. 

He could cope with the fact that Weisslogia was already dead. After all, he’d believed that for years now. He’d already accepted that the dragon was gone, so to even see him for a few minutes was more than he had ever expected. 

He didn’t care that his father had wanted to turn him into a dragon either. Maybe it was because Sting hadn’t actually experienced the terror of his body changing like that, but he really, truly didn’t care. God knew what might have happened to him if the dragon hadn’t taken him in. 

“You’ve grown into a fine young man, you know,” Weisslogia said, a proud smile on his face. 

Sting laughed through the tears, before throwing himself at his father, hugging the dragon as best he could. Weisslogia had been the first one to ever treat him like a boy, and though he was  _ rarely _ misgendered anymore, Sting just couldn’t explain it, the happiness he felt when his father called him ‘ _ young man’. _ “I missed you. I-I tried to make you proud.” He rubbed his face against his father. He’d forgotten how warm the dragon was. 

“I  _ am _ proud of you, Sting,” he said. “I assure you that I am.” 

Sting let out a shaky breath, and he clutched even tighter at his father’s scales. “Thank you… for everything that you did for me.” 

“No…” The dragon pulled back, and shook his head. “I should have done far better for you, Sting. I should have told you the truth of your magic, and I never should have altered your memories like that.” 

“It’s okay,” Sting said, trying to wipe away the tears streaming down his face to offer his father a smile. “I forgive you.” 

“You’re entirely too kind, son,” the dragon said. 

“I really don’t think—”

The dragon’s form began to fade, and the tears returned in full force. Even if Sting had accepted that Weisslogia was dead, that still didn’t make it any easier to watch the dragon disappear, leaving behind nothing but a hollow feeling in Sting’s chest. 

* * *

“Is there any possibility at all that I might still transform?” Rogue asked. “And what about my magic? Are there ways for me to control it better?” He only had a few minutes with Skiadrum, he needed to get as much information as he possibly could. Even if they seemed to have prevented his dark future now, that didn’t mean something else might not happen. For the sake of the entire world, he didn’t have the luxury of a happy, tearful reunion with his father. 

“Unless someone forcefully rips that lacrima out of your body, I highly doubt your body will change in the slightest,” Skiadrum hummed. “As for your magic… I do wish I’d had more time to teach you more about controlling that, but that’s not an opportunity we have. All I can tell you is to be careful, and practice as much as you can with it. I can’t guarantee that you’ll ever have perfect mastery of the shadows, but I have faith you can keep them from taking you over.” 

Rogue nodded, and he felt Minerva give his hand a reassuring squeeze. She’d stayed by his side, just like he requested, from the moment Skiadrum had landed in front of him. She hadn’t even spared Sting and Weisslogia a glance. 

“I’m glad I wasn’t the one who killed you,” Rogue said quietly. “But I am sorry you gave up your life for me, when you didn’t even need to.” 

“You have no reason to apologize to me for anything,” Skiadrum said. “You did not consent to a single part of our plan, and it was likely I would have fallen to Acnologia within a few years had I not bonded myself to your soul. And because of that, I was able to watch you grow up. You’ve had a difficult time of it, but I am very proud of you.” The dragon turned his attention to Minerva. “I’m not sure if I approve of your… companion, but I do know that you care for her, so you have my blessing.” 

“Uh…” Heat spread across Rogue’s face, reaching all the way to the tips of his ears. “I-it’s not like that.” 

Skiadrum hummed, before snorting. “Sure, Rogue.” 

Minerva tightened her grip on Rogue, though he had no idea why. Was she irritated by what Skiadrum had insinuated about their relationship? Or was she simply nervous over having the dragon’s attention on her? 

“It’s not!” Rogue insisted. 

Skiadrum’s chest rumbled with laughter, even as the dragon began to disappear. “Goodbye, Rogue, and good luck.” 

* * *

“You’ll love Erza,” Natsu whispered. He’d just finished telling Igneel all about how he and Wendy had joined Fairy Tail, and how great the guild was, and how Makarov had taken care of him. His father’s scales were stone-cold now, but he pretended not to notice. “She has flaming red hair, and she’s the best fighter I’ve ever met! She taught me a lot, you know. Even if she is a little scary at times...” 

He knew this was pathetic. He knew it was denial. But he didn’t care, he just pressed closer against Igneel’s jaw. 

His father’s scent was fading, and his body was starting to shimmer. 

“And then there’s Gray... we fight a lot, kinda like me and Gajeel,” he continued. “But he’s one of my best friends.” 

Natsu closed his eyes, and slid off Igneel’s foreleg as his father’s body began to vanish. “A-and Lis,” he forced himself to continue. “She used to talk about us gettin’ married when we were kids, and I always told her she was stupid but now we’re together. So maybe I will marry her…” He pried his eyes open to find nothing but a crater where his father once lay.

He fell to his knees, and clutched at his scarf. “Woulda’ been nice if you could have come… Dad…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would say it gets better from here on out, but it really doesn't


	69. End of all Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray has a talk with Natsu, and the dragon slayer comes to a decision

“Gray! Gray, is that you?!” 

The ice mage gasped, prying his eyes open to watch the blurred figure of Happy bound towards him. 

“Oh, Gray… that looks really bad…” the cat murmured worriedly, gently nudging at Gray’s cheek with his nose. “I can get you to Porlyusica or Wendy now.” As he spoke, his wings materialized on his back. “But it might hurt a little.” 

Gray groaned as he forced himself up, using the arm that  _ wasn’t _ completely numb, and shook his head in response. “No, no I need to find Natsu, Happy.”

The feline’s ears drooped at his words, tears glistening in his eyes. “I heard him crying,” he sniffled. 

Gray grimaced. He was fairly sure the entire goddamn  _ battlefield _ had heard Natsu hollering, which was precisely why he needed to find him. The last thing Natsu needed was to be alone with his thoughts right now. “Do you know where Igneel fell?”

Happy offered a timid nod. “I was heading there myself to check for him, but then I saw you, and…” He laid a delicate paw on Gray’s injured arm. “Gray, you need  _ help. _ I-I can wait to find Natsu until then, but you’re hurt.” 

The demon slayer grit his teeth. He’d made it a point not to look at his injuries, but he risked a glance down to the side of his body that had taken the worst of Mard Geer’s curse. It looked  _ awful. _ He couldn’t tell if the blackened skin was due to his markings, or the charred, rotting flesh, but neither was good either way. Perhaps it was a blessing he could barely feel his arm, because he couldn’t imagine the agony he would be in if he were completely aware of the pain. 

But… not being able to feel probably meant something even worse. 

He shook his head. It didn’t matter. Right now, he  _ had _ to get to Natsu, he could worry about himself later. “I’m serious, Happy. Help me find Natsu.” He wasn’t too proud to admit that he’d never be able to walk anywhere by himself, he  _ needed _ the Exceed’s help. 

“Well…” The cat removed his paw and fluttered into the air to lift Gray up. “Okay, then.” 

* * *

Wendy wasn’t sure how long she’d stood there, staring blankly at where her mother’s spirit had been, before she finally forced herself to trudge back to the main group. She hoped no one had noticed she was missing and caused a panic over her not being there. 

The young slayer’s face felt terribly wet, as though she were standing in a blowing gale, yet her tears had long since stopped flowing; she felt far too dejected to continue doing so. Wendy knew that eventually, the hard truth of the matter would sink its claws into her, the inescapable fact that she was never going to see Grandine again, but for right now…

There was just nothing. 

She slunk over to Cana, ignoring everyone’s stares. She didn’t know if they were fixated on her due to her new appearance, or if it was simply because they knew of the tragedy that had just occurred; she couldn’t bring herself to care either way.

Cana shot her a wary glance as Wendy let herself collapse besides her, a tired, sad expression on the card mage's face. Lucy was curled up with her head in her girlfriend’s lap, twitching fitfully in her sleep. “This never should have happened…” the brunette sighed as she combed her lithe fingers through Lucy’s hair. 

Wendy pulled her knees to her chest, jolting momentarily as she felt the scales on her shins beneath her fingers. Without the battle to distract her anymore, she was actually forced to reconcile with the changes her body had gone through, and despite the fact that she  _ did _ feel better, it was still going to take some getting used to. 

“I used that Fairy Glitter spell a few times,” Cana spoke up suddenly, though Wendy had no idea if her words were directed to her, or to the unconscious Lucy. “Can’t even claim I had a good reason, I was just worried and pissed off.” She let out a weary sigh. “But I’m surprised you didn’t mention anything earlier…” 

Okay, so she was definitely talking to Lucy. 

“The markings spread again.” 

Wendy squinted her eyes, letting them roam over the rune-like symbols that had taken over Cana’s entire arm and shoulder, even crawling their way up her neck and the side of her face, hidden as they crept beneath her hairline. They’d also begun to take on a red hue, leaving behind the flesh tone they had previously been.

“I just…” Cana bit her lip. “I didn’t know where you or Loke were, no one had seen Mira or Erza for a while, Gray was missing, and I just… it felt like all I could do. I know it was stupid, and I know—” A small, choked noise escaped her. “I’m still just so useless…! You were all fighting Tartaros’s elite, and I was— was just  _ barely _ holding the lines against the fucking foot soldiers!”

Wendy turned away from the two women; this was none of her business, and it felt wrong encroaching on the conversation. She shouldn't have been listening in the first place, but she really needed any sort of distraction from her pain.

“Wendy!” 

She jerked her head up upon hearing someone call out her name, relieved when she recognized it was Gajeel’s voice; her brother might actually be able to make her feel better! 

But then…

She actually saw him. Laid eyes on the massive wings on his back, coated in thick, metallic scales, and the wounds that littered his body in countless numbers. He couldn’t even  _ stand _ on his own, seeing as Levy, despite how much she seemed to be struggling, was supporting most of his weight. 

But it wasn't these changes that scared her; it was the sheer look of  _ terror _ in his eyes that worried her the most. The pure dread in his features as he took her in with his gaze. It wasn’t even the anger she was used to seeing from him when she’d been injured or harmed in any way, it was absolute  _ fear, _ something that could border on hysteria.

“No,” he gasped out, roughly shoving Levy away so he could stagger towards his sister. Cana grabbed Lucy and threw herself to the side with a yelp, just barely managing to dodge his wings flaring as he lunged for the young girl. 

“Gajeel! Gajeel, I’m fine, I promise!” Wendy assured him, already knowing he must be alarmed due to her appearance. She was barely able to squeak this out before he grabbed her and pulled her close into his chest, careful not to snag his claws on the fur that now coated her shoulders.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he wheezed, pressing his face against Wendy’s as she became  _ sincerely _ freaked out. She’d never seen Gajeel act like this, not even when he was a kid!

“She got you, too...” the iron dragon slayer moaned pitifully, disdain and despair lacing his voice.

“Huh?” Wendy finally managed to find her voice amidst her confusion. “Gajeel, what are you talking about?” Pressing her hands against his chest, she pushed herself backwards to get a better view of him. In doing so, she realized that his wings weren’t the only new thing about him. More scales than before had spread across his body, almost completely covering his shoulders and dotting sporadically over his chest, and his eyes had taken on a more reptilian quality. “Gajeel, what  _ happened _ to you?” Had Magic wanted him to transform too? 

Gajeel stiffened. “Seilah didn’t—?” 

“Who’s Seilah?” 

Her brother released her, complete and utter  _ relief _ coming over his features as his body relaxed. “It—She didn’t make you change?” 

Still unsure of what exactly he meant, Wendy shook her head in reply. “No, I just… I let it happen, I wanted... it was for the best.” 

Gajeel sighed, “Thank gods…” 

At that moment, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed.

“Gajeel!” Wendy and Levy shrieks simultaneously. The sky dragon slayer was immediately on him, checking his injuries and cursing herself for using so much of her magic in her fight against Ezel, because now she had nowhere near the strength needed to heal his wounds. 

Levy darted over, falling to her knees. “He’s probably exhausted,” she relayed breathlessly. “But I think… he should be okay eventually.” 

“You don’t sound very sure.” Wendy tried to ignore the way her voice shook, but she didn’t know  _ what _ she would do if something happened to Gajeel. “What happened to him?” she dared to ask. What could have possibly happened to Gajeel to make him react in such a way? 

Levy glanced at her, and for a second, Wendy thought she wasn’t going to answer before she muttered, “He was tortured.” 

Wendy’s eyes widened, and she almost couldn’t bring herself to turn her attention back to her brother. 

_ Torture?  _

She realized that her tears had never actually stopped, and she was sobbing again. She curled up on the ground next to Gajeel, nudging her way beneath his wing, and pressing against his chest, letting his heartbeat remind her that he was still alive. 

* * *

Natsu’s nose twitched as he smelled Gray and Happy land next to him, but he couldn’t bring himself to so much as look at them. Instead, he continued to lay on the ruined ground, gazing ahead at nothing— at the nothing where Igneel once was, as he held his scarf in a death grip. 

“Natsu…?” His little companion padded around to face him, even giving Natsu a brief lick across the cheek. “We should get back to everyone else… Gray is  _ really _ hurt, but he says he won’t go anywhere without you.”

Natsu bit his lip, intentionally letting fangs cut into his flesh as he shifted his body enough so that he could view Gray sitting next to him. 

He sucked in a sharp breath at the sight.

Before, Natsu had been distracted. First by the Book of E.N.D., and then by Igneel. He hadn’t actually paid much attention to the state of his friend.

Natsu could no longer tell where the markings began or ended, Gray’s skin was too torn and charred and  _ rotted _ for the patterns to be at all discernable. He was sitting awkwardly as well, with the injured side of his body slumped listlessly, and there was a sluggish stream of blood oozing from the cut he’d accidentally given himself across the palm when he’d tried to destroy the E.N.D.’s book. But above all, the part that worried Natsu the most was his  _ breathing. _ Each inhale and exhale the ice mage managed was always accompanied by a sick, wet gurgling noise in the back of his throat, and Natsu could  _ smell _ the coppery scent of blood on his breath. That could  _ not _ be a good sign, no way in hell. 

All of this, because he had decided to take the full brunt of Mard Geer’s curse, to  _ protect _ Natsu.

He had no idea how the stubborn ice mage was still conscious, let alone functioning. “Gray…” he rasped out finally, forcing himself to sit up so he could better face his friend. “Please go to Wendy ‘n Porlyusica, you look like shit.” 

To the dragon slayer’s dismay, Gray simply shook his head. “Not until you come back with me, flamebrain.” 

Happy crawled into Natsu’s lap, ears tilted downwards. “You shouldn’t be here alone,” he whimpered. 

“Hey, can you give us a minute, Happy?” Gray requested. 

“But—”

“Just a few seconds,” he pressed. “Please.”

Happy’s ears flattened against his skull, but he muttered a soft, “Okay,” as he climbed out of Natsu’s lap and slunk a few paces away. 

“I don’t want to go back…” Natsu whispered quietly, curling in on himself once more and turning away from Gray, unable to face his friend. He just wanted to disappear, to melt into the ground and never be conscious again. He couldn’t handle the pity, everyone assuring him that it was going to be okay, or insisting that they understood. He wanted to find somewhere quiet and secluded until he wasted away to nothing, for his failure to do right by his father. 

“You’ll feel better around everyone else,” Gray coughed, as if he knew the direction Natsu’s thoughts were headed. And maybe he did; he seemed to have more than enough experience with regret and self-loathing.

Natsu just shook his head half-heartedly in response. 

“You can’t do this, Natsu,” the demon slayer insisted, “You just can’t; not again.” With a soft, pained noise, he scooted closer until their shoulders were touching. “You can’t just live your life in denial. You did it when Igneel vanished the first time, you did with Lisanna, and you… you’re going to try and do it again now. I’m not going to let you self-destruct like that ever again, you hear me?” 

Natsu felt like that statement should have made him angry, should have provoked some form of emotion within him, yet he felt  _ nothing. _ “But Igneel wasn’t  _ gone,” _he argued back. “And neither was Lisanna. It was different then.”__

_____ _

____

“But you didn’t know that,” Gray frowned. “And you  _ know _ this time that’s not true. You _ know.” _

____

__

____

The tears were springing to his eyes, and Natsu shook his head again. He couldn’t accept this, he  _ couldn’t! _ He wanted to get excited the next time he heard rumors about a dragon, convince himself it was Igneel, convince himself that he still had a chance of finding his dad.

____

__

____

Gray let out a ragged cough, his head falling slightly against Natsu’s shoulder. For a moment, the dragon slayer thought his friend might have passed out, but Gray really was a stubborn bastard. “Pick something real and focus on it,” the ice mage continued, his voice growing hoarse. “I’m not going to let you delude yourself with some bullshit fantasy, and Igneel wouldn’t want you wasting your life away like that.” 

____

__

____

_ Something real?  _ Like fucking  _ what!?  _ The goddamn crater in the ground? The guild that was likely in shambles now? Zeref and the book of E.N.D., that were never around long enough for him to ever get any  _ real _ answers? Or—

____

__

__“Acnologia,” he spat suddenly, sparks in his chest finally igniting once more with the name on his lips. His claws sank into his scarf, and that familiar, welcome anger crept back, burning away the numbness that spread throughout his weakened body. “It’s Acnologia’s fucking fault!”  
_ _

__

Gray nodded. “It is.” He didn’t try to argue, or talk him down, Natsu didn’t think to wonder why. 

__

“I’ll kill him,” the dragon slayer snarled, venom lacing the words as he spoke. Anger curled hot and unstoppable in his gut, like a blazing inferno that wanted to burn him from the inside out. He’d wanted revenge before, but not like this.  _ Never _ like this. “I’m going to tear him open, I am going to remove his vocal cords through his goddamn  _ eyes.” _

__

__

__

Gray twitched beside him, but didn’t react beyond that. 

__

__

__

“I’ll get strong enough to kill him,” Natsu continued, focusing on that and  _ only  _ that.  _ Killing Acnologia. _ “Strong enough to protect all of you.” 

__

__

__

“I’ll help you,” Gray offered, his voice soft, but just as determined. “I understand… and I’m going to help you, Natsu.” 

__

__

__

Natsu blinked, before turning to his friend, placing his hand over Gray’s. He leaned closer and buried his face in the crook of his neck, drinking in Gray’s cool scent, filled with winter and pine. “And I’ll help you kill E.N.D.,” he promised. “I swear.” 

__

__

__

He wasn’t going to let that book get to him again. He would find Zeref and that damn demon, and he would help Gray kill them all, help him finally get justice for his family, for his village, for his Master. “E.N.D. has nothing on this fire wizard.” 

__

__

__

Gray shifted, and something in his body cracked quietly with the movement, yet the ice mage did nothing to indicate it had caused anymore pain. He brought his hand up to rest it on Natsu’s head before running his fingers through his salmon hair. “We’ll kill them both together.” He attempted to move again, but couldn’t bite back the groan of pain this time around. “But first, we need to get our injuries checked out… just a thought…”

__

__

__

Natsu forced himself to pull away from Gray. “Y-yeah, you’re right, frosty.” He stood up, and despite Gray’s protests, the fire user scooped him up with care. The ice mage was in no condition to be walking himself, and Natsu doubted he could, anyways. Happy should have taken him straight to Wendy and Porlyusica, damn Gray’s stubbornness to hell. “Let’s go, Gray.” 

__

__

__

_ And… I’m sorry…  _

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__

* * *

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__

__

Gray was unconscious by the time Natsu reached everyone, and he looked so awful that Porlyusica had momentarily abandoned the antidote she was working on for the Thunder Legion to get him stabilized. 

__

__

__

Natsu glanced around the small clearing in the rubble that Fairy Tail had decided to regroup in. Those that were able were attempting to help Porlyuisca how they could, bandaging wounds, making splints, anything they could do to help, but not very many of them were even capable of that much. 

__

__

__

Laxus and his team looked so bad that Natsu almost thought they were dead, were it not for the fact that he could hear their heartbeats, with Cana, Loke, and Kinana picking up on trying to work with the antidote, scurrying around to Porlyusica’s barked instructions. Mest cried over a long-dead corpse, and for a horrifying second, Natsu thought it was one of his guildmates before he realized it was the council member that had been caught in Jackal’s explosions. Lucy and Juvia were sprawled across the ground next to each other, completely unconscious and with no sign of waking up anytime soon. Levy was doing her best to tend to Gajeel’s wounds, but her movements were stilted, her eyelids constantly fluttering as though she would pass out at any second. Off to the side, Wendy was conversing quietly with Sting, Rogue, and Minerva, and though he was curious as to why his sister had changed in the way that she had, she didn’t appear to be injured or unwell in any way, so Natsu forced himself to let it go. 

__

__

__

He scanned the clearing for the person he was looking for, and he let out a small sigh of relief when he laid eyes on her. Erza was leaning against a wall with Mirajane’s limp body resting in her lap. Half of Erza’s face had been heavily bandaged, and she wore Loke’s sunglasses for some bizarre reason Natsu would have to inquire about. 

__

__

__

“Hey, Erza,” Natsu greeted as he stepped towards her. 

__

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__

Her head jerked up, and she narrowed the eye that wasn’t hidden beneath the wad of bandages. “Natsu? That’s you, isn’t it?”

__

__

__

Natsu frowned. “Yeah… it’s me.” Could she not see? Surely… surely she hadn’t somehow been robbed of her sight, right? “What happened to you?”

__

__

__

“Kyoka got to me again,” Erza admitted, her voice lackluster. “Took all my senses away, but they’re coming back in bits. Just a little slower than I’d prefer.” She reached up to readjust Loke’s borrowed glasses. “Light’s a bit much for me right now, though, so Loke lent me these…” 

__

__

__

“Oh.” Natsu leaned down and pressed his forehead against Erza’s. “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll see you soon, okay? Tell Gray I said so. Make sure to look out for him, he’s in rough shape too.”

__

__

__

“Huh?” She reached towards him, hooking her fingers around the fabric of his scarf. “Natsu, what are you talking about?” 

__

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He compelled himself to smile, though he wasn’t sure if she would be able to tell. “Just know I’ll be back.”

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__

_ Eventually. Some day.  _

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__

The dragon slayer pulled away from her, and though she called for him to come back, he didn’t. He didn’t even turn to look at her again, not wanting to risk any second thoughts. This was already hard enough, but he knew he had to do this, and this was the best goodbye he could give them without losing his resolve. 

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__

Gajeel was unconscious, so there was nothing Natsu could do to say farewell to him. He glanced at his other siblings, but shook his head, deciding against it. 

__

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__

They would understand. There was no need to tell them what he was about to do. 

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__

Which only left…

__

__

__

“Natsu!” Lisanna forced herself to her feet and rushed towards him despite Laki’s protests, as she had been trying to bandage her wounds a moment ago. “Natsu, I’m so  _ sorry,” _ she exclaimed before falling into his chest. 

__

__

__

Natsu shook his head as he caught her. He cradled the back of her head, and his eyes darted down to the line of bruising around her throat. He ached to keep her close, to keep her safe until she was healed, but he couldn’t do that for her right now. “It’s okay.”

__

__

__

It wasn’t. It was the furthest away from okay as it could possibly get. But he couldn’t tell her that—not right now, not with what he was about to do. 

__

__

__

“Natsu—” she began. 

__

__

__

The slayer leaned closer, catching her mouth with his, causing whatever she was about to say to be cut off with a surprised squeak. 

__

__

__

He had yet to give her an actual kiss like this, but he wanted to try it. Try it at least once. 

__

__

__

Lisanna melted into his touch, letting him bring her closer. He felt her tongue against his teeth, and he dimly hoped his fangs didn’t cut her, but if they did, she didn’t seem to mind. 

__

__

__

It didn’t seem like long enough, but he forced himself to pull away from her. 

__

__

__

“Natsu…” He could see it in her eyes. She knew something was wrong. Beyond wrong. 

__

__

__

“I love you, Lis.”

__

__

__

“I… I love you, too, Natsu,” she stammered, beginning to back away, the concern in her eyes only building. “But—” 

“We’ll go fishing out by the river when I get back, alright?” he promised, turning away from her, away from Fairy Tail.

__

“I’ll hold you to that,” Lisanna whispered, trying to keep her voice steady, but he could hear the tremble in it. But he didn’t look back.

__

“Goodbye, Lis.” 

__

* * *

__

He made it to the outskirts of Magnolia, and he’d not sensed a single person trying to follow him. Which made sense, anyone who would have tried was either physically incapable of that, or too busy to notice he’d left. 

__

Well… except for one. 

__

_ “Natsu!” _ Happy yowled just before dropping out of the sky and landing on his friend’s shoulders. “Where are you going? You need to be healed, your wing is hurt!” 

__

“I know,” he admitted. But it would heal on its own. Hell, even if it didn’t, he was sure he could find a healer if he really needed to. “But I’ll be alright.” 

__

“Natsu…” Happy bumped his head against his cheek. “Are you really leaving?” 

__

“I…” He hunched his shoulders. It felt wrong to say it out loud, to admit that he was leaving his guild, his  _ family _ behind, but he had to do this. He  _ needed _ to. “Yes, I am. But I’ll be back. I promise.” 

__

It wasn’t a promise to Happy, or even anyone else he was leaving behind. It was a promise to  _ himself. _

__

_ I  _ am _ going to return. This isn’t forever, and I  _ will _ see them all again soon.  _

__

“Well…” The feline’s claws pricked at his shoulder as he flexed them. “You’re not going anywhere without me.” 

__

Natsu reached up to scratch the Exceed’s ears, not sure what else he had expected from him. “‘Course not. But it’s gonna be rough,” he warned. He wasn’t even stopping by the house first. He didn’t need money or anything like that, not where he was going. 

__

Happy nodded solemnly. “I can handle it.” 

__

“Right,” Natsu turned his gaze to the horizon. “Then let’s go.” 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna thank everyone who's kept up with this fic and has ever left a nice comment or kudos or anything. You're all so sweet, and it's an absolute joy to share my writing with you. With only a few more chapters left of this fic, I hope you all enjoy the direction I go next, and the new upcoming parts


	70. After the Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The struggle against Tartaros has finally come to a close.

“Wendy, come help me with this!” Porlyusica shouted from nearby, commanding attention from the youngest dragon slayer. 

Wendy muttered a quiet, “I’ll be back in a second,” to Sting, Rogue, and Minerva, before rushing to Porlyusica as quickly as her exhausted body would allow her. She didn’t have a scrap of magic left, so there wasn’t anything she could do for the ailing and the injured, much to her dismay, so she prayed that the healer wasn’t hoping she would be able to fix anyone. “What do you need, Miss Porlyusica?” 

The aforementioned woman handed her a vial filled with a thick, dark liquid. “Give that to Evergreen and Laxus, it’s the antidote for the bane particles. It’s all I’ve managed to make so far, but they’re the worst off, and I need to worry about making more for Freed and Bickslow.” 

Wendy almost protested, she knew Laxus would have wanted for his team to be treated first, but then she actually got a look at the lightning dragon slayer. Porlyusica was justified in her judgment, he wasn’t going to last more than a few hours if he wasn't treated soon. “Yes, ma’am,” she murmured obediently.

She clutched the vial of the antidote tighter against her chest before settling onto her knees next to Laxus. “We’re going to get all of you fixed up, okay?” Wendy promised softly. They’d already lost Lahar, and even if she couldn’t use her magic at the moment, she was going to do everything in her power to prevent anyone else from dying. 

He really did look terrible, though. His skin was a sickly shade of alabaster, near translucent, and Wendy could see the darkened blood speckling his lips. He’d likely coughed it up, and her heightened hearing told her that there was an extremely dangerous amount of blood compiling in his respiratory system. “Come on.” She knew he wasn’t going to wake up, so she tilted his head forward, pulled his jaw open, and carefully poured half of the antidote down his throat. He sputtered, coughed a couple times, but thankfully swallowed most of it. 

Wendy had no idea how long it was supposed to take for the concoction to kick in, so she didn’t wait to see if there was a change in his condition and moved on to Evergreen. 

“Thank you, dear,” Porlyusica said without looking up from the next batch of the antidote she was working on. “I know you’ve been through a lot.” 

Wendy didn’t reply, she just hunched her shoulders and went about treating the unconscious Evergreen. She didn’t want to talk about what had happened, not at all. Not even with Porlyusica, who she knew wouldn’t offer her any false reassurances, unlike her friends and family.

__

The aged woman sighed before grumbling something about, “Denial crazy, PTSD-ridden Fairy Tail mages,” and gave up on trying to console Wendy again. 

__

The young slayer sniffled, wiping furiously at her eyes as tears threatened to spill. She thought she would have used up what tears she had to cry, yet there always seemed to be more.

__

Wendy couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever stop crying. 

__

* * *

__

With a soft groan, Lucy’s eyes opened, her eyelashes faintly batting against her lids as she blinked. Dimly, she became aware of the soft surface beneath her head and the angelic brunette that loomed over her. “C-Cana?” 

__

“Hey,” said cards mage smiled tersely, running her lithe hands through Lucy’s hair. “You feeling any better?” 

__

“Tired. Sore,” Lucy admitted with a sigh. Though considering the amount of magic power she had used up, the blonde suspected she was going to remain that way for a few days at the very least. “Is there still fighting going on?” 

__

Cana shook her head, smile changing from forced to wry in an instant. “Nah, we kicked all those demons’ asses.” 

__

Lucy couldn’t find it in herself to return the smile, because despite her girlfriend’s words, this sure as hell didn’t feel like a victory. Instead, she was left feeling hollow inside. An intense sadness flowed through her veins and deadened her mind. It was a poison to her spirit, dulling her, killing off her other emotions until it was the only one that remained, but she forced herself not to dwell on that, knowing it could lead her down a dangerous path of unfeeling. “How’s everyone else doing?” she asked instead, propping herself up first on her elbows before leaning against Cana’s shoulder. 

__

Lucy not-so-subtly noticed the runes that snaked over her girlfriend’s skin out of the corner of her eye, yet she chose not to comment on them. Now was most certainly not the time. Cana knew the risks, and if she had decided using Fairy Glitter was worth it… well, there wasn’t much Lucy could do about that. 

__

Cana released a weary sigh, what tiny bit of bravado she’d managed to muster vanishing almost instantaneously. “Not good,” she muttered, face grim. “Believe it or not, you and me are in better shape than pretty much everyone else, babe.” 

__

“What? Really?” Lucy frowned, startled at this revelation as she pressed closer to Cana. She began trembling, but she honestly didn’t think it was from the cold, the temperature had nothing to do with this. If anything, it was probably yet another side effect of magic overuse. 

__

The brunette looked hesitant before replying. “Fuckers tortured Gajeel, you know? Porlyusica thinks there’s gonna be some permanent damage to his hand. Erza can’t even fucking  _ see _ thanks to some goddamn curse by some demon skank, and she’s got an actual hole torn clean through her fucking cheek, which means that shit’s definitely gonna scar. Mira, Juvia, Levy, and Lisanna might have gotten out of this without any lasting damage at least, but they’re all exhausted to the point they can scarcely move. Seems like the Thunder Legion might finally be out of the woods, but I overheard Wendy and Porlyuisca sayin’ Laxus was probably gonna have some…not-so-temporary damage.” She shook her head. “Speaking of Wendy, those wings and shit? No idea, but by the looks of it she seems fine.” She tugged Lucy closer as she continued, “Natsu just up and vanished a couple hours ago, I don’t think anyone’s seen him since. And Gray…” Her grip tightened noticeably on the blonde. “He looks real fucked up. Gods, I don’t know what happened to him, all I know is Loke’s helping him get all bandaged up right now. But still…” Cana sucked in a wobbly breath. “He doesn’t look good.” 

__

Lucy lifted her thumb up to her mouth so she could gnaw at her fingernail. Was she really one of the people who got the better end of things? She felt goddamn  _ awful, _ she couldn’t even imagine what everyone else was going through. “So what now?” she forced herself to finally ask after a moment of collecting herself. They couldn’t stay in the ruins of the Tartaros base forever, but the guildhall wasn’t exactly an option either. 

__

“Charle and Pantherlily are helping people who have been treated or just need to rest back to their homes,” Cana answered, “Soon as Loke’s done patching up Gray, we’re getting you back to your place.” She was silent for a moment, staring off into the distance before saying, “Not sure about the guildhall… Laki said she would make some plans for rebuilding, and we could start after everyone’s started healing, but I don’t know. The Master was… weird about it.” 

__

Lucy shifted, sensing the concern in her partner’s voice. “I’m sure everything will work out fine.” 

__

The cards mage grunted, “Sure.” Though it was clear she didn’t believe Lucy. “What about you, Luce? You doing okay?” 

__

She very nearly said yes. Compared to everyone else, after all, she was perfectly fine, and they had bigger things they needed to focus on. And yet, she found the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

__

“I lost Aquarius, Cana…”

__

The brunette’s eyebrows pinched in obvious confusion. “Like… you dropped her key or something? We need to go look for it, is that what you’re saying?” 

__

Lucy’s lip wobbled, her chin trembling as she knew she was dangerously close to tearing up. But she forced her stiff fingers to sift through her key pouch, handing Cana Aquarius’s broken key. Just seeing it again brought a whole new wave of harsh, heartbreaking reality crashing down on her.

__

Resigned recognition flickered across Cana’s face as she breathed out an, “Oh…” before pulling Lucy into a tight, secure hug, her hair brushing against Lucy’s face and neck. “I’m so, so sorry, babe. That must have been awful for you, I… fuck, I should have been there.” 

__

Tears escaped from the corners of Lucy’s eyes as she hurried to bury her face in her girlfriend’s shoulder, her body shaking as she tried to contain her sobs. “I want to go  _ home, _ Cana.” 

__

“I know,” Cana whispered in reply, clutching her tighter still. “I know. Let’s… let’s get you home.” 

__

* * *

__

Rogue tried to hide the fear and concern when he saw what had become of Wendy and Gajeel; he may have been fast enough to stop Erza from killing Minerva, and just the right string of events must have been triggered to prevent Gray from succumbing to his demonic side, yet not enough had been done to cease his two siblings from transforming. 

__

He may not know very many details from his future self’s memories, but he doubted he would ever completely forget the feral creature that Wendy had turned into after her tragic transformation. At the time being, she seemed perfectly okay (well, as okay as she could be after watching her long-lost mother die right in front of her), but Rogue couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something lingering within his sister. Something powerful. Something dangerous. 

__

“We should go.”

__

Sting’s voice snapped him from his musings, causing him to jump a little. “We… we shouldn’t be here right now. They need their space.” He placed his hand on Rogue’s shoulder before continuing, “Soon as Frosch and Lector are back from helping the Strausses home, we should head back to the guild.” 

__

“But what about Natsu?” Rogue immediately blurted out. They still had no idea what had happened to him, if he was even okay at all. At least they  _ knew _ that Wendy and Gajeel were alive, even if they were going to have a lot to adjust to. But Natsu? He was MIA, and it was growing to be concerning.

__

Sting grimaced at that as he rubbed absentmindedly at the wounds around his neck from when Mard Geer tried strangling him. “Something tells me we won’t be seeing him for a while; besides, he was here earlier, I can smell him. He’s probably just helping an injured buddy or something, you know how he is.” 

__

Rogue sighed but nodded in reluctant agreement. Sting was right, of course. He  _ could _ detect Natsu’s distinct scent in the air, which meant he had to be alive. It also made sense that he would vanish for a little while after Igneel… Well, Natsu had never been good at confronting issues like that. Not to mention, it was just in a dragon’s nature to hide away from the world when they felt vulnerable. He would probably turn up sooner or later. And Sting was undoubtedly correct in the fact that they had no business being here right now; this had been Fairy Tail’s fight, and he didn’t think they would be keen on having two dragon slayers that had practically been enemies (not to mention Minerva) hanging around while they were in the process of collecting themselves. “Alright. Get Lector and Frosch as soon as they get back, otherwise they’ll get distracted again,” the shadow dragon slayer relayed before turning his attention to Minerva, who was currently curled against a pile of rubble, desperately avoiding eye contact. “I’ll get… her.” 

__

His brother nodded, and stood up to go and locate their Exceeds. 

__

Rogue shuffled over to Minerva before gently tugging her to her feet. He dully noticed someone had managed to apply a splint to her injured wrist, and he was surprised she had let anyone close enough to do that. “We’re getting ready to head back to Sabertooth. Can you walk? Or will you need Lector or Frosch to carry you?” 

__

The demon shook her head slowly, “I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own.” She then twitched in his hold, as though she was contemplating jerking away from his touch, yet she didn’t. “Rogue… how can I…?” She hung her head, seemingly remorseful. “You won’t want a  _ monster _ like me in your guild, I’ve already caused so much trouble for you all.” 

__

“But I  _ do," _ he insisted, taking her hands gently into his as he met her eyes. “Minerva, I  _ do _ want you. You can learn to do better, I know that you can. You may not believe in yourself, but I assure you, I believe in you.” 

__

She scoffed, a sad, yet defined look overtaking her features. “I’m a demon now, you idiot. Sure, if I was still human I could have rejoined, but now? It’s just in my nature to behave without morals.” Her eyes drifted down to her clawed fingers as they curled up against the slayer’s skin. “I should have been eradicated alongside the rest of the vermin here after all I’ve done.” 

__

_ “Minerva,” _ Rogue growled, voice taking on a fiercer tone. He wasn’t about to let her degrade herself in such a way. “Humanity doesn’t mean  _ anything, _ all it is is a label. I was supposed to be a dragon, my brothers and sister  _ are _ dragons for fuck’s sake. And… and Gray Fullbuster is practically a demon himself, so it’s not like demons within a light guild are unheard of. It doesn’t  _ matter.” _

__

“But it DOES!” Minerva snapped, despair smoldering in her gaze. “I damned myself the moment I let them do this to me—No, I did that the moment I turned my back on you! This? This is my punishment for all my sins.” 

__

“The fact that you think so is proof enough that you can do better!” Rogue was shouting now, grip on her long since becoming rigid. “Besides, as I told you before, if you deserve such a fate then so do I! Minerva— _ Minerva, _ I destroyed the entire _ world, _ the fabric of time and existence itself in that alternate reality. If anyone here is a monster, it’s  _ me." _

____

“It’s not the same, Rogue!” she snarled, baring her teeth in a gesture that was very familiar to that of a slayer. “It’s not the  _ FUCKING SAME!" _

____

The shadow mage leaned over her, now showing off his own teeth in an aggressive manner. “Maybe not. Maybe not, but you’re still coming back to Sabertooth with me, even if I have to knock you out and drag you there myself!” 

____

Someone cleared their throat rather loudly, causing Rogue to jump in surprise and whip around.

____

It was Sting. He hadn’t even  _ noticed _ his brother had returned, let alone with Lector and Frosch in tow, their tails swishing anxiously behind them. “Pretty sure you two are starting to attract some attention,” he chuckled nervously, as he nodded his head in the direction of several onlooking Fairy Tail members.

____

“Fine,” Minerva scoffed, some of her normal, haughty personality returning. She spun sharply on her heel and stepped away from Rogue, clearly not giving a damn that they were entertaining an entire curious guild with their ‘lover’s spat,’ that Rogue noticed some of the other mages snickering about. “I said I will return with you, so I will.” 

____

And thus, she started walking in the direction of Sabertooth’s guildhall. 

____

“What the hell was that about, Rogue?” Sting immediately inquired once Minerva was out of range.

____

The shadow dragon slayer shook his head helplessly in reply. If she had been planning to return with them the whole time, why had she made such a big deal about how she didn’t deserve it, or thought because she was a demon, she shouldn’t? “I don’t know,” he responded honestly. “But I’m sure we’ll get it all figured out eventually.” 

____

“I think so too!” Frosch chirped before climbing up Rogue to rest on his shoulder. 

____

“Well, whatever.” Sting shook his head. “Let’s get going.” 

____

* * *

____

Gray woke up gasping and choking on seemingly nothing, an agonizing, fiery pain in his shoulder and the tips of his fingers. He jerked suddenly, crying out as he tried to figure out what was so  _ wrong. _

____

“Gray, calm down!” Porlyusica’s voice shouted, her familiar face appearing above him as she forcefully shoved him back down against the hard ground. “You’re going to aggravate your wounds.” 

____

“It  _ hurts,” _ he wheezed, eyes wide and body trembling. 

____

“Good,” she replied, her voice leaving no room for argument. “Now stop moving around. Or did you  _ want _ to lose that arm of yours? I swear, you Fairy Tail brats…”

____

Gray froze, the rest of her sentence becoming muffled, as an intense, grounding dread flooded his body. “H-huh?”

____

He’d… well, of  _ course _ he knew his entire limb going numb like that couldn’t be a good thing; when was it ever? And yet, he hadn’t allowed himself to actually think about it, to ever consider that he might actually  _ lose _ his arm. Not when he depended on both his hands for his maker magic. 

____

“Well, it hardly matters now,” Porlyusica brushed it off, letting go of him now that she was fairly certain he wasn’t about to start flailing around again. “If you’re in pain then it means the feeling is returning, so it’s extremely unlikely we’ll have to take measures that drastic.” 

____

Gray allowed his eyes to slip shut, processing what Porlyusica had just told him. Had he really almost lost a limb? He shuddered at the mere notion of it. 

____

He felt Porlyusica picking at the bandages coating his body, unwrapping them tenderly. “These are already ruined,” she grunted, clearly irritated. “But I don’t have anymore to give you.” 

____

“It’s fine,” he muttered. “Where’s Natsu? Erza?” 

____

“I don’t know about the Dragneel boy,” Porlyusica replied dismissively, “Haven’t got a glimpse of that dragon brat once.” 

____

Gray frowned at her response. Natsu seriously hadn’t been looked at yet? His wing had gotten hurt during the fight with Mard Geer if Gray recalled, and not to mention everything else that could possibly be wrong with him. 

____

“But Erza is over there.” 

____

The ice mage opened his eyes instantly at that. Sitting up with a barely concealed wince, he directed his attention towards the rubble that Porlyusica was pointing to. Erza was indeed propped up against the wall, restlessly picking at bandages that were wrapped snugly round her head. 

____

Porlyusica huffed as he got up, yet made no comments nor did she try to halt him. His arm was still numb in spots, with pins-and-needles racing through it in others, along with that sharp, biting pain easing and ebbing through his fingers and shoulder. More bandages had begun slipping from his arm, revealing the grisly wounds that lay beneath them. 

____

Gray risked a glance around the rest of the ruins, and realized now that they were near deserted. The only people still present were Erza, and the Thunder Legion, with Makarov and Porlyusica watching over them. The demon slayer bit back a groan as he made his way over to the scarlet-haired warrior.

____

“Erza?” he prompted as he neared her. “Where is everyone?” Not dead, there was no way; those remaining would be panicking if that were the case. 

____

Erza straightened and raised her head to look in his direction, though it was hard for him to tell, as for some odd reason she wore shades. “Gray?” 

____

“Yeah…?” He didn’t look  _ that _ bad, did he? Surely he wasn’t unrecognizable…

____

She let out a resigned sigh. “Everyone else has finally gotten back to their homes. We’re still here because we were the worst off, and the Master wants Porlyusica to keep an eye on us. We’ll be going to her house soon,” she chuckled softly. “Much to her dismay.” 

____

“Oh…” He let himself collapse next to her. “The hell happened to you, anyways?” 

____

“Can’t see very well,” she confessed, “It was Kyoka’s curse. I think my hearing is back to normal at least, but my sight and sense of touch is still… it’s still coming back.” She shifted suddenly, deft fingers reaching out to skim Gray’s jaw before sliding up to his cheek. “I can feel in my hands normally, though.” Her digits connected with some of the bandages still on his face and neck that Porlyusica hadn’t managed to remove yet. “What about you?” she inquired, her hand beginning to transition downwards before brushing his exposed wounds. A frown tugged at her lips. “Gray…” Furiously, she rubbed the wounds and he scarcely managed to bite back a pained wince. “I thought these were just your markings!” she exclaimed. “But… Gray, they feel  _ awful,  _ what are these? They feel like bur—” She cut herself off. Horror immediately flitted across her features as she connected dots in her head. “Like  _ burns... _ Gray, did Natsu—?!” 

____

_ “What?!” _

____

He was taken aback;  _ beyond _ taken aback. “Gods, no! Natsu would  _ never! _ ” How could she even  _ consider  _ that? Why would she think Natsu would ever burn him like this? He _ wouldn't, _ not even… 

____

Gray bit his lip, recalling the manner in which Natsu had threatened him before, the raw desperation and anger in his eyes as he had done so. But the dragon slayer hadn’t actually done anything to him, hadn’t actually hurt him, and that was what mattered. 

____

The redhead let out a breath of relief, posture sagging slightly before prompting, “Then what  _ did _ happen?” 

____

“Demon curse,” he replied automatically, not in the mood to elaborate more than that. “But Erz… why would you assume it was Natsu?” 

____

Erza finally let her hand fall away from his injuries, to instead clutch at her side. “I-I don’t know… he said something earlier to me, and it just didn’t seem right. I hate to say it, Gray, but when I felt the burns, my mind immediately went to Natsu, and that it could have been the reason why he…” She drifted off, eyes unreadable underneath those dark shades of hers.

____

“He  _ what!?” _ Gray snapped, unable to stop himself as anger rushed to his head. What exactly had Natsu done while he was unconscious? Where  _ was _ he? And why had none of his wounds been checked, was he just  _ that _ stubborn!? 

____

“He told me goodbye…” Erza exhaled. 

____

“He…” The ice mage clenched his teeth and slammed his head back, letting it thump carelessly against the crumbling wall. “Dammit, Natsu!” After he’d  _ promised _ he wasn’t going to do this? After everything that had happened?

____

“He said he would be back,” Erza continued, a dangerous, wavering hope in her voice that Gray despised. “I’m sure he’ll come back soon, however I can’t help but feel a little worried.” 

____

Gray couldn’t help the growl that rose in his throat along with the anguish and sadness that was quickly growing. He knew better than to hold out for such a hope. He knew  _ Natsu self-destructing _ better than that. 

____

“You dumbass…” he whispered. “You promised…”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I want to thank Revlischarm for beta-ing and helping me with editing, as well as bouncing ideas back and forth! 
> 
> Well everyone, there's five chapters left. I'm hoping to get them finished up within a week or so, but we'll see. I really am excited to start the Zero arc, and everything that goes on during the year long time skip.


	71. What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makarov makes the announcement to disband the guild.

Erza curled against Gray, her fingers constantly shifting over her friend’s body just to prove that he was there, because the only sensation she could feel right now was the tingling pins-and-needles racing all throughout her body. If it weren’t for the feeling in her fingers, she wouldn’t have known he was even there. 

The exhausted demon slayer had long since drifted off, and though Erza’s eyes burned to keep open, she just couldn’t bring herself sleep. She  _ couldn’t, _ not until she got her senses back. She felt as though if she were to fall asleep without them, she may never get them back. 

Dimly, she was aware of Makarov and Porlyusica conversing in the next room over, but her hearing must not have been completely back, since she could not make out the words that were being spoken. It was about the level it had been at before she’d transformed into a Faerie. She hadn’t realized how comfortable she had become with those heightened senses, she felt twitchy without them. 

She sighed and tugged the sleeping Gray closer, relieved that he’d had his wounds rebandaged. This way, he would heal better and she wouldn’t have to feel those god awful burns, tears, and patches rotting skin. Erza wished that Natsu had been here too, she really did, but he had just lost his father, for real this time. He… he most likely just needed some time to mourn. After Lisanna’s apparent death, he had become frighteningly distant, and while she and Gray had pushed him to talk to them at first, they quickly realized it did nothing. If Natsu decided he wanted some time alone, she would have to understand that, even if she did want to hunt him down, hug him, and make sure he knew that it would all be okay eventually. 

Gray twitched in his sleep, his eyebrows pinching together in evident pain. Erza wished there was something she could do for him, but Porlyusica didn’t even want to give him painkillers, claiming she needed to know the exact amount of feeling he had in his arm and hand. 

At least Erza had had her pain dulled. The part of Kyoka’s curse that intensified feelings of agony faded pretty fast, to her relief, and Porlyusica had given her painkillers before she stitched the hole in her cheek up. 

Now that she was dwelling on the matter, Erza began to prod at the wound with the tip of her tongue, licking at the thin pieces of thread holding her face together. After Wendy’s magical power came back over the next few days, she would heal the wound up, so at least Erza wouldn’t have to wait on it to heal completely naturally, but Wendy wouldn’t be able to fix it in time to prevent scarring. 

Not that Erza minded. Scars didn’t bother her at all, even such a large one on her face. She was just glad it was on the opposite side of her face as her marking. She would have hated to have it marred by a scar. 

Then she wondered when the marking had become so important to her. 

Eventually, Erza simply couldn’t keep her eyes open a second longer, and she rested her head on Gray’s chest, drifting off into a well-deserved sleep. 

* * *

Mirajane trudged to the guildhall, leaning on Elfman for support as her own legs shook. The battle against Tartaros had ended almost twenty-four hours ago, and the takeover mage had only just woken up. The only reason because she had been roused by Elfman, telling her the Master was calling a meeting for everyone in the guild. 

As exhausted as Mirajane was, and as much as she wished she could just go back to her comfy bed, she was relieved to see everyone from the guild. Though Elfman had assured her that they were all relatively okay—at the least, no one was dead—she would feel a lot better if she could see them all herself. 

Lisanna took Mirajane’s hand in her own, giving her fingers a reassuring squeeze. The youngest takeover mage looked just as worried as Mirajane felt.  _ Probably over Natsu, _ Mirajane thought with a frown. She knew Elfman was worried about Evergreen (even if he wouldn’t admit it), and she wanted to see Erza as soon as possible and make sure she was recovering well. 

They were some of the last ones to arrive at the ruins of the guildhall. Mirajane rubbed Elfman’s shoulder, offering what comfort she could as he flinched upon seeing how awful the destruction looked in broad daylight. “You didn’t mean to,” she whispered. “It’s not your fault.” 

“Things like this have happened way too many times for that to be true, sis,” he muttered as he turned his gaze away from the ruin. 

Mirajane sighed, unsure of what she could tell him to convince him that that wasn’t true. 

“Do you see Natsu anywhere?” Lisanna asked as she scanned the crowd. 

Mirajane frowned and looked through the hoard of bodies, searching for the familiar shock of pink hair, yet it was nowhere to be seen. That was… odd, to say the least, considering she could see Gajeel and Wendy, as well as Erza and Gray. Where could Natsu possibly be if he wasn’t with any of them? “Sorry, I don’t Lisanna.” 

Her sister nodded, slight disappointment in her features but no trace of surprise. 

“Hey Mira, do you know what’s going on?” Kinana asked as she approached. “Did the Master tell you anything?” 

Mirajane shook her head slowly, “I know about as much as you do.” She stopped leaning on Elfman, and despite his look of concern, began shuffling through the crowd to reach Erza. Maybe she would know. Sometimes Makarov confided in her, they were exceptionally close after all. 

“Erza!”

Her girlfriend twisted to look at her, a relieved smile spreading across her face as she readjusting the gaudy sunglasses resting atop her nose. Were those… Loke’s? 

“Erza, do you know what this is about?” Mirajane questioned once she was within earshot.

Her girlfriend gave a slight shake of her head, and Mirajane’s shoulders sagged. “No, though I assume it probably has something to do with plans to rebuild. Or perhaps even something to do with the government. We  _ did _ instigate a war, after all.” 

“But the council’s dead,” Gray argued, from his place next to Erza, drawing Mirajane’s attention to him. He felt… different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but whatever it was it was making her anxious. Nonetheless, she gave him her attention as he continued, “Who the hell is gonna get on our case with them gone?” 

He had a point. Without the Magic Council, there wasn’t anyone left to reprimand them for something like this. Not unless the royal family wanted to get directly involved, and Mirajane doubted that Hisui would do that, seeing how much she seemed to favor the rambunctious guild.

“Well, I don’t know,” Erza huffed as she crossed her arms and turned up her nose, giving Mirajane a better view of the stitches that crawled across her cheek. “I’m just guessing.” 

The takeover mage shifted uneasily. 

She just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. 

* * *

Makarov knew everyone was going to react poorly to his announcement. After everything that happened, the members would no doubt want to stay close together, and his choice to disband the guild would undoubtedly cause an uproar. Honestly, it was probably a good thing he hadn’t waited to tell them until they were healed and weren’t so exhausted, otherwise there likely would have been magic exploding all throughout Magnolia. They were all shouting and protesting and demanding to know why he was doing this.

He couldn’t blame them. To them, he was doing this out of the blue, for no apparent reason, at a time when they would need the support of the guild the most. 

But he had to do this, for their own safety.

With Tartaros defeated, it might be true that the last of the major dark guilds in Fiore were obsolete, but that didn’t mean there were no more threats. With the magic council gone, completely annihilated, that meant there might be issues beyond dark guilds within Fiore. Now, they needed to worry about foreign powers. 

But that wasn’t the main thing that Makarov was worried about. 

Mavis’s cryptic words had been bothering him, ever since she had first said them. Of course, he was suspicious from the moment she had followed them from Tenrou Island, displaying more interest in his children than she ever had in any other generation of the guild since she’d passed on. He found it extremely odd, but the fact that her fascination seemed to run deeper than an intense curiosity left him with a cold feeling of dread, much to his chagrin. 

He didn’t like being suspicious of their First Master. He wanted to respect her, trust her more than anyone, and… and he did, but he refused to let anything happen to the children that he had raised. 

And with disbanding the guild, they would have to move on, they could no longer be targeted as a group, Mavis could not manipulate them or use them for whatever she might have planned. 

So as much as it broke his heart, he knew this was what was best for them. 

* * *

Gray could only stare forwards at the space in front of him, there was really nothing else he could do. Absolutely  _ nothing.  _ First Natsu, and now this? Everything he held dear was slipping away in an instant: his friends, his home, his  _ family. _

_ All over again. _

He could hear his pulse beating in his ears, blocking out all other sound as he gazed listlessly ahead. He didn’t even bother to listen to Makarov’s explanations as to why he was doing something so irrational. 

The ice mage dimly noticed Erza’s fingernails were burrowing into his shoulder as she shouted protests, but he barely paid her any attention. 

How could Gramps do this to them? After everything they’d been through, after all the time and dedication they’d given to this guild? Gray had been  _ raised _ here, for fuck’s sake, along with so many others! Magnolia, Fairy Tail, they were  _ everything _ to him. What was he supposed to do now without that? Without Erza and Natsu by his side? Without Juvia? Without seeing them everyday, sitting at their self-proclaimed table in the guildhall, bickering over what sort of job they should take next? 

Gray halfheartedly shoved Erza off as he stomped away, moving as quickly as his injured body would permit him. 

He couldn’t do this. He just… he just  _ couldn’t _ . Fairy Tail wasn’t going to disband, and Natsu was going to get his ass back here and everything was going to go back to normal and  _ he wouldn’t be left all alone again. _

The demon slayer managed to make it just down the street before someone caught him by the shoulder, pulling him around to face them.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Erza demanded, her voice wavering. 

Gray bared his teeth as he hissed out, “I’m going to get that  _ moron _ of a teammate that vanished after the goddamned battle!” 

She let out a sigh that reeked of disappointment, still not relenting in her hold on him. “Why?” 

“Because he doesn’t have to be alone! He needs to come back  _ home!” _

“What home?” Erza whispered, her eyes veiled with unshed tears. “Fairy… Fairy Tail is—it’s  _ gone _ now. There’s no guildhall, no guild. There’s nothing to come back  _ to _ .”

“That’s not _true!”_ Gray snapped, tearing himself from her grip and stumbling back. There was no way— no  _ way  _ Fairy Tail was gone. This was all some cruel joke, and tomorrow they’d all come together and bounce back from anything that was thrown at them because  _ that’s what they did. _ Always. “Besides, what do you think it will do to him when he gets back to find  _ nothing? _ To find all of us gone!?” 

“I don’t—”

“Just let him be, Gray,” a soft voice interrupted, and the ice mage whipped around to find Lisanna standing off to the side. “Natsu… something tells me we need to let him do this.” 

Oh, how he despised her irritatingly calm expression, the cool acceptance in her gaze. It only served to fuel the desperate rage that filled him. “Aren’t you his girlfriend? How could you be okay with him running off and  _ abandoning _ you like that?!” 

“Because I  _ know _ him.” She frowned, and it was such a sad expression. Her eyes regarded him the way a tired parent would look at a child throwing a tantrum. “I know that he’ll be back, just like he promised. And I know that if he left, he must have had a damn good reason to do so. He would never leave us alone without one.” 

“HE LITERALLY DID, THOUGH! He left without so much as a peep, and for all we know he went off on some—some  _ suicide _ mission!  _ What don’t you get about that!? _ ” He had lifted his good arm to tangle his fingers in his raven locks, pulling at his hair from sheer frustration. Natsu had talked to both of them before he ran off, they could have talked him out of it, could have stopped him, should have seen something was wrong and not let him go off like that.

“Gray, she’s right,” Erza insisted, voice remaining calm throughout this. How could she be so  _ certain _ ? “Just give him the time he needs to grieve, he’s going to return.” 

“You don’t  _ understand! _ ” the slayer wailed, hating how he could feel the sting of tears in his eyes. He couldn’t believe he was getting so worked up over this, but then again, it was fucked up the two girls  _ weren’t _ . “None of you understand! Am I the only one who knows how it feels to watch your  _ father—” _ He choked, the sob that had been building in his throat cutting off his voice as emotion overtook him.

“Gray?” Erza leaned forwards, concern evident in her eyes. 

“Why now?” he whispered, his high of relentless anger dying out as quickly as it started. The world felt like it was crashing down on him as he himself broke. “After everything… after everything that happened. After I needed—”  _ After I needed him, after I needed the guild, after I needed  _ you. 

_ Why am I the one who always ends up alone? _

“Hey, hey,” Erza pulled him into a loose hug, wary of his injuries, yet not seeming to understand his sudden change of behavior. “We’ll get it figured out, okay? We all will.” 

“She’s right,” Lisanna assured him, resting a delicate hand on his shoulder. “Natsu will come back soon, and we can all figure something out then.” 

They had such misplaced faith in the dragon slayer, truly. But he couldn’t bring himself to argue anymore as what little fight he had left drained out of him.

* * *

Wendy sat huddled up against Gajeel’s, nestled against his wing as her mind tried to figure out what this meant. She… she wasn’t a Fairy Tail wizard anymore. Because Fairy Tail  _ didn’t exist.  _

The poor girl didn’t understand why this was happening. She didn’t know anything  _ except _ being a Fairy Tail wizard. She had been a member of the guild since she was  _ four years old. _

“Natsu’s not gonna like this…” she whispered, voice trembling.

Gajeel glanced down at her, a frown tugging at his lips. “Nah, but he’ll get over it. We all will.” 

Wendy seriously doubted that, seeing as she herself was having a hard time coping with this.

They hadn’t even  _ seen _ Natsu since the battle; they knew he was alive, of course, and not  _ severely _ injured—according to those who had actually seen him—but she couldn’t help but to worry. Wendy knew it had to have been hard for him. Her brother hadn’t even gotten the luxury of those few precious moments with Igneel before that long-awaited reunion was snatched away. 

Natsu had to watch his own father be  _ massacred.  _

She knew her brother would come back eventually, he  _ had _ to. He’d done the very same thing after Lisanna’s death, after all; disappearing for hours at a time to mourn. True, it had been well over a day now, but he’d return soon.

She knew he would. 

“How’s your hand?” Wendy asked Gajeel, trying to take her mind off things as she gently touched his wounded limb. It had been smothered in bandages, with little splints on each of his fingers. 

“Hurts like a bitch,” he grumbled, “But I’ll deal with it.” 

“I’m sorry I can’t heal it…” Her magic was unfortunately still  _ exhausted.  _ Fighting against Ezel, transforming, and destroying the Face weapon had drained her in a way that she’d never been drained before. She could feel her magic returning slowly,  _ excruciatingly _ slowly, but at least it  _ was _ returning. 

“Ah, not a big deal,” the iron mage dismissed, averting his gaze away from her and onto Levy, who was standing across the street. She seemed to be talking to Jet and Droy about something. 

But it was. Despite Gajeel’s words, it  _ was _ a big deal, because Porlyusica had said his fingers might never work the same again, and the longer Wendy was prevented from healing him, the worse the permanent damage was going to be. “I—” 

_ “Wendy!”  _

Her head snapped up, and for a brief moment Wendy contemplated hiding behind her brother’s wing. What was  _ she _ doing here? Right  _ now, _ of all times? 

Chelia sprinted towards them, the smile on her face cheerful, but concern evident in her eyes. 

Wendy squeaked and ducked her head back down, instinctively trying to smooth down her hair. Chelia couldn’t see her like  _ this! _ Sure, the Lamia Scale mage might have been okay with the dragon things if it was just her teeth, ears, and eyes, but this? 

What Wendy was now was something else entirely. 

A snarl began to build in Gajeel’s chest as the young god slayer drew closer, his grip on Wendy tightening considerably, but never enough to hurt. Ever since Tartaros, he’d been wary about letting his little sister go, let alone out of his sight. 

But if Chelia noticed, she certainly didn’t show it. 

“Are you okay!?” she demanded breathlessly, skidding to a stop in front of the bench they rested on. “Are you hurt at all? Please, let me heal you if you are!” 

Wendy jumped up, her eyes wide as any of her previous concerns disappeared. She’d completely forgotten that Chelia could use healing magic too! “Heal Gajeel!” She exclaimed. “Please!” 

“Hang on—” her brother began. 

Wendy shook her head as she interrupted his protests, “No, you need it more than me!” She grabbed his wrist and held out his injured hand towards Chelia. “There’s this. And he’s got all these awful cuts on his back, too!” She doubted Chelia could do anything for the tooth that had been ripped out, so she declined to mention it. 

“Of course!” Chelia nodded eagerly as she gently took Gajeel’s hand, who thankfully let her do so and didn’t try to jerk away. “Just give me a few moments.” 

As she worked to heal the damage, Chelia’s tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth in concentration. She carefully removed the bandages and splints, knitting the wounds back together. “I-I’m afraid I can’t—”

“S’fine, kid,” Gajeel spoke up before she could finish, using his working hand to pat the top of her head. “The bossy healer lady already told me it couldn’t be completely fixed, so don’t sweat it.”

The god slayer nodded, but looked sad nonetheless. “It’s mostly the nerves I can’t fix completely, so your fingers might have… a little less feeling than what you’d be used to. But these cuts are unfortunately very tactical. Probably some permanent stiffness and trembling, especially if you use your hand a lot, with writing and that kind of thing.” 

“Told ya, it’s fine,” Gajeel repeated rolling his eyes a bit, but Wendy could tell from the strain in his voice that it most definitely  _ was not _ fine. Still, she knew he would never admit such a thing in front of company. 

It wasn’t until Chelia had moved onto the cuts on Gajeel’s back that Wendy thought to ask, “What are you doing in Magnolia, anyways?” 

“Lyon wanted to come check on Gray Fullbuster,” she hummed in reply. And I tagged along…” A hint of pink appeared on her cheeks. “I tagged along because I wanted to make sure you were okay, Wendy… and to see if you needed my healing abilities!” she added hastily, almost like an afterthought. 

For the first time since the battle, something warm unfurled in the sky dragon slayer’s chest. Had Chelia really come all this way just to check on her? 

As soon as the healer was finished with Gajeel, she leapt at Wendy, wrapping her in a secure hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” she exclaimed. “When I heard you were on the front lines, that you were fighting  _ demons, _ I was so worried about you!” 

“It’s okay, I’m okay,” Wendy reassured her, melting into the other girl’s touch. 

Chelia’s hands froze when they came into contact with the fur on Wendy’s shoulders, and she jerked back. 

Her heart sank. It really was too weird for her, wasn’t it? 

But Chelia’s eyes were wide, a dopey grin on her face. “It’s so  _ soft!” _ she squealed. “Is it okay if I…” She held her hand out, letting it hover just over the fur patches. 

“Uh…” No one except Gajeel had actually touched Wendy’s fur yet. Even  _ she _ avoided touching it. But not wanting to disappoint Chelia, she nodded. “Y-yeah, go ahead.” 

Chelia cooed as she rested her hand atop the silky fur, softly digging her fingers into it as she combed through the fluffy material. 

Wendy was purring before she even realized it, and she quickly clapped her hands over her mouth, but that did nothing to stop the noise. 

“Awww.” Chelia leaned closer. Her smile was infectious, and despite everything, Wendy found herself smiling as well. 

“Your wings are so pretty, too!” The pink-haired girl turned her attention to the new appendages. “You’re even prettier than the first time I saw you!” 

Given the heat she could feel across her face, Wendy suspected her cheeks were beet-red. 

Gajeel leaned over very suddenly, clearing his throat. “Thought you said you were here to heal people, eh, brat?” 

“Gajeel!” Wendy squeaked, wanting to die right then and there. 

But Chelia didn’t seem to mind. She pulled back from Wendy, turning her brilliant smile onto Gajeel. “I guess you’re right. I’d better go and find anyone else who might need my help.” She spun on her heel and bounded away, glancing over her shoulder as she did to wave at Wendy. “After I’m done, I’ll come find you again, alright?” 

The young dragon slayer nodded, a pleased grin on her face. “O-Okay!” 

As soon as Chelia was out of earshot, Wendy turned back to Gajeel and lightly whacked his shoulder. “Why did you  _ do _ that?”

He cocked an eyebrow at her, “Y’er my little sister, and y’er too young to be dating.” 

“That’s not what you said last time!” Wendy whined. 

“Yeah, well last time she wasn’t makin’ you purr and gettin’ all handsy!” 

_ “Gajeel!”  _

* * *

Erza had managed to coax Gray back to his apartment, making sure to stay with him until he eventually drifted off again. It didn’t take long, seeing as her friend was beyond exhausted. Honestly, she was too, and she considered curling up next to him for a nap. Because not only was she tired, she really didn’t want to think about  _ anything. _ How she didn't have a guild anymore, the fact that everyone was probably going to end up heading their separate ways, and what the hell she was supposed to do next. 

Her eyes were just beginning to slide shut, when she heard a loud pounding on the door, causing her to jolt upwards.

For a brief moment, she thought it might be Natsu and smiled at the prospect, but she quickly realized that couldn’t be the case. For one thing, Natsu didn’t knock; he would have barged right in, or perhaps climbed through a window. And not to mention… the muffled voice on the other side of the door didn’t sound all-too familiar.

Frowning, she forced herself to get up from her cozy position and walk towards the door. Her fingers twitched, and for a second she considered summoning a sword, but ultimately decided against it. 

Erza tried to open the door slowly, but it was almost immediately pushed wide open.

“Is Gray here?!” Lyon Vastia blurted out, leaning his head into the doorway.

“What the—?!” Erza jerked backwards in surprise. “What are you doing here? What do you want with Gray?” 

“Is he okay? Cana Alberona gave me his address, and—” 

“Why the hell would she do that?” 

“I’m his  _ brother!” _ he snapped, chest heaving.

“Ah…” Erza narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. She’d honestly forgotten about that, seeing as Gray rarely discussed Lyon. “And why have you just now decided you wanted to check up on him? You’ve never bothered to do so in the past.” 

“I—!” Lyon began, voice indignant, before cutting himself off and taking a deep breath. “Look, would you just let me in?” 

“He’s asleep right now.”  _ And god knows he needs it. _ “So only if you’re quiet and promise to leave him alone until he wakes up.” She considered threatening him for a moment, but she figured her tone had been enough of an implication. 

“Fine,” he agreed with a huff. 

Erza stepped out of the way, and allowed him to come inside. 


	72. Separate Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray struggles to accept how fast everything is changing, while Erza decides what she needs to do now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fully aware this is the wrong fucking fandom, but happy October 3rd! Don't forget. Also burn your house down as a symbol of resolve and so when your estranged dad comes back, he'll wonder where the fuck his fucking house went :)

Gray really wasn’t sure what to think of the fact that Lyon was sitting at his kitchen table, sipping tea and conversing casually with Erza. When he’d woken up, he had decided to force himself to grab something to eat, and then he would be crawling right back into bed. 

But unfortunately, that wasn’t really an option anymore. 

“Ah, Gray, you’re awake,” Erza remarked, her voice airy and cheerful, setting her cup of tea down and smiling at him. “I’ve just been talking with your brother, he has some things he’d like to discuss with you.” 

Lyon twisted around to look at Gray, his eyes immediately zeroing in on the bandages that covered him from head-to-toe. The demon slayer grimaced, and glanced down to make sure the bandages were covering the worst of the wounds. The last thing he wanted was for Lyon to make a huge fuss over his injuries. 

The older ice mace offered him a tense smile. “Hello, Gray.” 

“Well…” Erza stood up very suddenly, using her hands to smooth out the nonexistent wrinkles in her skirt. “I’ll leave you two be. I’ll probably be back later tonight, don’t worry. Unless, of course, Mira wants me to stay with her.”

Gray very nearly protested, not sure if he wanted to be left alone with  _ Lyon, _ of all people. There were… undoubtedly some awkward conversations to be had, and he wasn’t sure if he was quite ready for them yet. Lyon had never directly apologized for the fiasco that was Galuna, and it wouldn’t surprise Gray if the other ice mage still blamed him for  _ her _ death. Not to mention, there was also the fact that Gray had literally  _ killed _ Lyon in another lifetime, and they hadn’t exactly confronted that particular topic either.

Really, what was he even  _ doing _ here? 

Gray was so distracted by his thoughts that Erza left before he could put in his two cents. 

“I’m glad that you’re alright,” Lyon said the moment she was gone, acting as though he might get up from the table and move closer. He seemed to think better of it, however, and remained rooted in his seat. 

The former Fairy Tail mage nearly scoffed at that.  _ 'Alright.’  _ He was the furthest he could fucking  _ be _ from alright, physically and mentally. 

But Lyon didn’t need to know that. 

“Erza told me that Fairy Tail is disbanding,” Lyon continued gingerly, eyes regarding him with apprehension.

Of course she’d told him. And of course Lyon just  _ had _ to bring it up. But instead of getting upset, Gray simply nodded. It was one thing to spiral into denial and break down in front of Erza, but it was a whole other level to do it in front of his brother.

He wasn’t sure he had the energy to do so anyways. 

“Well…” Lyon glanced away from him, clearly uncomfortable with the lack of vocal response. “Do you have any idea what you’re going to do now? Nothing strenuous, I’d hope, given your apparent injuries.” 

What  _ was _ he going to do now? Gods, Gray hadn’t even thought about that. Granted, it had only been a few hours since Makarov had made that earth-shattering announcement, and it was ridiculous for Gray to have come up with some kind of plan in that amount of time. But he would have to figure out some form of stable income, so joining another guild made the most sense, considering that was the only thing he really had experience with. However… that just didn’t sit right with him. Not after all he’d been through with Fairy Tail. No, replacing his guild with another would feel like a betrayal. It felt  _ impossible. _

Not to mention it wasn’t like he  _ wanted _ to go anywhere or do anything without his found family. 

But with Natsu already gone… 

“You could join Lamia Scale,” the older ice mage blurted out, snapping Gray’s attention back to him. There was something close to hope in his voice. “We could—” 

“No," the demon slayer interrupted, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want to.” 

“Gray—” 

“I said  _ no!” _ Gray snapped. He wouldn’t ever,  _ ever _ join another guild. Fairy Tail was where he belonged. “Besides, what the hell are you even doing here?”

He truly didn’t _get_ it. Sure, Lyon had been friendly in Crocus, and they’d made small talk a couple of times, but he’d never once indicated he wanted any kind of relationship with Gray that was more than  _ acquaintances.  _ So what the  _ fuck _ was he doing in his house? 

“I… I was worried about you,” Lyon admitted quietly, finally meeting Gray’s eyes again. 

“Uh-huh…” Gray crossed his arms, biting back a wince of pain that accompanied the movement. “Why? It’s not like this was the first time my life’s been in danger, and I  _ sincerely _ doubt it’ll be the last.” 

“Look, after Crocus I get concerned!” Lyon spat out, finally abandoning his calm facade and falling into something that Gray was much more familiar with. “Not just for you, but for anyone around you!” 

Gray’s fingers dug into his upper arm, pushing the bandages apart and sinking into his mangled skin. Thankfully, it was still a portion that was mostly numb, so he didn’t feel much pain from the action. “Ah, so you don’t trust me or Juvia.” Of course, Lyon didn’t know that Gray had made Erza and Natsu promise to kill him should he ever become a demon again, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to find out. 

“That’s not it! I just—” Lyon cut himself off with a groan. “I didn’t come here to fight with you, idiot.” 

“Seriously? That’s all we  _ ever _ do!” Gray didn’t know why Lyon thought it was going to go any differently. 

Lyon shot up and slammed his hands down against the table. “Well maybe I want to change that! After dying in Crocus and then hearing that you were taking on Tartaros…” He shook his head. “Look, I’d like to at least  _ try _ and reconcile before one of us ends up dead. For Ur’s sake, if nothing else.” 

_ Ur… _

Gods, what would she think of Gray now? Breaking down, depending completely on another person just to keep him  _ human.  _ It hadn’t even been a day since Fairy Tail had been disbanded, and he was already falling apart at the seams. Sure, he might not want to be alone, might not be good with change, but it was downright pathetic that he couldn’t even  _ fathom _ building a life on his own. 

“At least think about joining Lamia Scale. Please?” Lyon asked again, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair and stepping towards the door. “I think it’d be good for you. And if you do decide to do something else… at least stop by every now and then, alright?” 

“...Fine,” Gray relented. He still had absolutely no intention of joining Lamia Scale, not at all, but unfortunately, Lyon was right. 

Ur wouldn’t want them fighting and barely keeping in touch. He could at least try with Lyon for their late master’s sake. 

Lyon didn’t quite smile, but at least his grimace was gone. “Thank you.”

And then he was gone. 

* * *

Erza was almost to Mirajane’s when she heard a familiar set of footsteps headed her way. A small smile graced her lips as she turned around. “Jellal… I know it’s you.” 

Her boyfriend chuckled as he stepped out of the shadows of a nearby alley. “I swear, those senses of yours could rival a dragon slayer’s.” 

“Oh…” Erza threw herself at him, wrapping him in a hug and pressing her face against his chest. “I don’t know about that.” She doubted her hearing or anything else would ever beat Natsu’s. “And you know, you could just come say ‘hi’ like a normal person.” 

“Meredy says I’m not allowed to do that,” he hummed, returning the hug as he rested his chin atop her head. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner… and I’m sorry I couldn’t help during the battle.” 

“Oh, it’s fine,” Erza brushed his apology off, pulling back so she could smile at him. “We did alright in the end. A few scars, but we’ll be alright. Besides, I’m sure you had plenty of other things to worry about.” 

“And  _ I’m _ pretty sure I worry about you more than everything else combined,” he chuckled, gently running his thumb over the stitches lining her cheek. “I’m not going to ask how you all managed to take down Tartaros, I’ve given up trying to understand how you all manage miracles like that.” 

“It wasn’t without lasting damages this time,” Erza sighed, her easy smile fading. Though her senses might have all returned now, she would forever have the scar on her face. That lasting memory of the terror she felt as everything faded away, and memories of Kyoka’s ‘loving’ care while Erza was confined to the demon’s torture chamber. 

Not to mention what her guildmates had suffered through...

_ No, not my guildmates.  _

“I lost my guild,” she exhaled, allowing herself to fall against Jellal again. She had held it together in front of Gray, knowing that was what he needed, but without someone to compose herself for, her confusion and loss was becoming overwhelming. 

“W-what?” Jellal stammered, his eyes widening in alarm as he grabbed her by the shoulders. “You can't be the only one that survived!” 

“Oh! Oh gods, no! No, Jellal, no….” She shook her head furiously at the miscommunication. “The only casualties were the dragons, it’s just… Fairy Tail is disbanding.” 

Though he didn’t look quite so concerned now, confusion still swam in Jellal’s eyes. “Disbanding? But why?” 

Erza shrugged helplessly, “I don’t know. Master didn’t offer much of an explanation, but…” She looked down, beginning to fidget with the hem of her skirt. She wouldn’t lie; for a moment, she’d considered suggesting they keep the guild, just with someone else as the guildmaster, but she’d quickly pushed that idea away. She wouldn’t disrespect Makarov’s wishes like that. “I just don’t know what to do now.  I’ve always been a guild wizard,” she continued. “What am I, if I’m not that?” 

Jellal regarded her, a careful, thoughtful look in his eyes. “You’re Erza Scarlet,” he said. “That will never change.” 

She opened her mouth to argue, but he interrupted her. 

“However, if you truly insist on being part of a guild…” He grinned. “I know of one that would love to have you.”

* * *

Rows and rows of tombstones stood erect in silence, to the left and right, in front and behind, like a sea of the dead. Some were crumbled with the weathering of centuries, some were smooth marble with new black writing and laid with floral tributes. Most though, were overgrown and unkempt, for now even their mourners had joined them under the clay soil.

The cemetery echoed with painful grief and the emptiness of heartfelt loss. How could a place be so full yet so desolate at the same time?

As a brisk breeze sent browning leaves tumbling through the air, one came to a rest atop a fresh grave, where a lone figure stood nearby.

Mest dimly wondered if he should brush it aside. That was polite, after all? To keep the graves of the dead spic and span? 

But he didn’t. He didn’t want to touch the stone, didn’t want to get any closer to it. It felt so  _ wrong.  _

Lahar didn’t have any family, and with the rest of the Council dead, he had a severe lack of friends. Mest wasn’t sure if that made this easier or harder. At the least, it wasn’t up to him to deliver the news of his passing on to anyone else, but that also meant it had been up to him and him alone to figure out how to handle Lahar’s body, and where to bury him. 

It was up to Mest to mourn his death alone. 

His lover had never mentioned anything about what he wanted to happen with his body after he died, and so Mest had him buried in Magnolia, within the graveyard outside Cardia Cathedral. 

No one from Fairy Tail had accompanied him, though the teleportation mage couldn’t blame them. He hadn’t exactly  _ asked _ any of them to do so, seeing as they hadn’t known Lahar in the first place, and the vast majority of them probably weren’t even physically capable of being out and about anyways. 

“I’m sorry for your loss, son.” 

Mest twitched, the sudden presence of another person surprising him, but he didn’t react further than that. He glanced over, noting the master of Fairy Tail a few paces away, before turning his gaze back to the tombstone. 

“I’m sorry for a lot of things, Mest,” Makarov continued. “You’ve been through a lot, and I’m afraid some of it is my fault.” 

Mest sighed. He’d come to the conclusion long ago that Makarov knew something about his missing and jumbled memories. He had decided that after the disaster that was Tenrou Island. And while it was true that he might have given anything to know the truth in the past, that wasn’t the case anymore. 

He simply didn’t care about what he had been, who he had been loyal to. 

All he wanted was Lahar  _ back.  _

But he also knew Lahar would have killed him if Mest turned down figuring out where he had come from, who he was. 

So he turned back to Makarov, ready to listen to whatever explanation he may provide. 

* * *

“You want to join Crime Sorciere?” Mirajane asked, unable to conceal the surprise lacing her voice. 

Erza nodded, an excited gleam in her eyes. 

The demoness frowned. This was… sudden, to say the least. After all, it was only just this morning that it had been decided Fairy Tail would disband, and Erza was already wanting to move on? To join another  _ guild, _ of all things? 

But then again, Mirajane couldn’t say she was surprised; this was how Erza had always been. The requip mage felt that she always needed to be moving, needed to be fighting, and right now, Crime Sorciere was the way for her to accomplish that. 

When Mirajane didn’t answer immediately, some of the eagerness vanished from Erza’s expression. “I won’t if you don’t want me to, Mira. I know… I know that it would be tough for us, since we’re so used to seeing each other everyday and we wouldn’t be able to do that anymore if I go through with this.” 

“No,” Mirajane quickly assured her. “No, it’s not that I don’t  _ want _ you to, it’s just… well, I guess maybe I don’t want you to  _ leave." _ She turned away from Erza, beginning to pick at the bandages covering her arms. “I… I don’t want you not by my side.” She took a deep breath. “But that isn’t fair to you. This is what you want to do, and— and I have to consider Jellal’s feelings, too.” 

He’d been without Erza for just as long as Mirajane had been with her, and the takeover mage knew that he loved her. Both he and Erza deserved more than the little stolen moments they managed to get during the midst of battles. 

“If this is really what you want to do,” Mirajane went on, “I’ll support you in your decision. But you have to  _ promise me  _ that you’ll visit, and… and write as often as you can.” 

“You can’t read my handwriting,” Erza pointed out, humor leaking into her tone. 

“Lisanna can; she’s gotten used to Natsu’s, and his penmanship is just as awful as yours,” the barmaid chuckled. “But do you get it, Erza? Please don’t disappear on me, I’m begging you. Just because the guild came apart doesn’t mean the bonds we made have to as well.”

“Of course, Mira!” Erza hurried to reassure her girlfriend. “I would never do that to you. The only reason I’m not asking you to come with us is because I know you can’t leave your siblings.” 

Despite everything, Mirajane smiled. “I would love to come with you, but you’re right. I can’t leave them right now, they need me.” She could tell that Natsu’s disappearance was already getting to Lisanna, and Elfman was spiraling down a path of guilt and self-hatred. “But… maybe someday.” 

Erza nodded, and leaned over to kiss Mirajane’s cheek. “As soon as you’re ready, let me know. I’ll be right there.” 

* * *

“You’re  _ leaving?”  _ Gray shouted. It wasn't merely a raised voice, there was a seething bitterness behind it. “Now?!”

He couldn’t believe this. First Natsu, and now Erza, too?

“I…” Erza bit at her lip, hard enough that a little trickle of blood dripped down her chin as her fang cut into the skin. “Gray, I’m sorry, but I am.” She readjusted the bag on her shoulder, and he still couldn’t believe she was going to travel so lightly. “I’m leaving today. I’ve already said goodbye to Mira, and now… I’m saying goodbye to you. Crime Sorciere can’t stay in one place for too long, especially here. We’re sure whatever might be left of the Council will be getting here soon, to at least find out the specifics of what happened. So I have to leave now.” 

“You’re giving up on Fairy Tail that fast?” he hissed, clenching his fists at his side. Well, it was really only one, as his left hand still stubbornly refused to completely obey him. But nonetheless, it hadn’t even been a full _day,_ and Erza was already running off with another guild? Leaving _everyone_ behind? 

She was abandoning him just like Natsu had. 

His two best friends, the people that he had relied on for everything since he was a little kid, were both vanishing and leaving him in the dust. It felt like a knife in the back.

“It’s not that, Gray,” she tried to explain, but he didn't care. He didn't want her half-assed explanations. 

“If Fairy Tail ever reforms, I’ll be back in a heartbeat," she continued. "And I’m going to keep in touch with you the best I can. I’ll even visit if you tell me where you’re at! But I have to keep going, I… I can’t stop.”

“Fine,” the ice mage sneered, voice oozing with contempt. “If you’re so eager to move on, then  _ go." _

Erza opened her mouth to argue, but couldn’t get a sound out before Gray slammed the door in her face. 

“Gray!” she yelled, pounding her fist against the door. “Come on, please! I don’t want to leave things like this with you! You… you mean a lot to me. Gods, I  _ love _ you, don’t let this be how we say goodbye!” 

Gray grit his teeth as he leaned against the barrier between them, letting his body slide to the floor as his anger disappeared and was replaced with grief. His chin trembled, and he had to bite down on his fist to keep the sound of sobs from escaping.

Sure, he’d watched his father die again, he might have lost Natsu, and the guild was disintegrating around him, but he’d thought… 

He’d thought, that at the least, he’d always have Erza there for him. 

But the universe loved to prove him wrong, because here she was, leaving him too. 

_ “Please,” _ Erza begged, her voice ringing with irritating clarity through the door to his apartment. 

Gray pressed his forehead against his knees. “I told you to go, Erza,” he forced out, not even bothering to raise his voice. He knew he didn’t need to, not with her heightened hearing. “If that’s what you want so bad, just  _ leave." _

“I’m sorry,” she attempted one more time. 

But she wasn’t sorry enough to stay. 

* * *

Jellal half-considered dragging Gray out of his apartment to have an actual conversation with Erza but decided against it. If she had wanted to speak to him that badly, she would have broken down his door herself. 

“You’re sure about this?” Jellal asked. Sure, he might have been the one to suggest it, but honestly he had expected Erza to turn him down. He was ecstatic that she hadn’t, but she was leaving  _ everything _ she knew behind: her home, her friends, her girlfriend… He wouldn’t blame her at all for changing her mind, especially after Gray had reacted so poorly to her decision. 

Erza sighed, turning to look over her shoulder at the outline of Magnolia. “Yes, I’m sure.” She smiled at him, before taking his hand and gently intertwining their fingers. “I’m ready to be a part of Crime Sorciere.” 

* * *

Loke was never going to forgive himself for leaving his girlfriends to fight alone so early in the battle. His powers being drained wasn’t a good enough excuse. Because he’d left them, Cana’s runes had spread so much it was impossible to deny they were doing something to her, and Lucy had lost her connection with Aquarius. 

Both Lucy and Cana were curled up next to him, sound asleep, but Loke  _ couldn’t _ sleep. He should have been _there_ for them. 

He should have been there for the entire guild, not just his girlfriends. 

Sure, he might have killed one of the Nine Demon Gates, but that wasn’t good enough. 

He was  _ never _ good enough. 

Cana whimpered, drawing Loke out of his thoughts, and she began to claw restlessly at the runes on her neck. 

_ That can’t be a good sign, _ Loke thought grimly. Gently, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her before she managed to draw blood. She struggled against his grip for a second, but thankfully relaxed, and fell back into a deeper sleep. 

Loke sighed, and tugged both of them closer. 

“I’ll do better next time,” he whispered. “I promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the last few chapters are almost here. Genuinely, sometimes I can't believe I wrote all this, oh my god. 
> 
> But I hope you all enjoy the last three chapters, and the way everything wraps up


	73. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hisui and guilds across Fiore extend invitations to Fairy Tail members, but several members still don't know what they can do now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys pls don't ever start a new job right before all your final projects for school are due, it is goddamn fucking hell you will never sleep

Hisui groaned, sliding out of her seat to lay on the floor, content to just sit there and stare at the ceiling until somebody else came along to adopt this responsibility. 

Her father had given her the colossal task of rebuilding the Magic Council from the ground up. He said that if she wanted to be involved in guilds and the magical side of Fiore so badly, then she needed to know more about how that side of the government worked, and learn why they couldn’t just rely on guilds to govern themselves. 

Hisui supposed she could understand where he was coming from, but it all felt so  _ impossible. _ The Magic Council had been formed back with the creation of Fiore, after all. It was an organization as old as the kingdom itself, and now it was up to her and her alone to recreate it into something just as good or better. She didn’t have the luxury of failing when it came to a task like this. 

“Princess!” Yukino leapt out of her own chair, frantically waving around some document she had just opened. “Princess, you’ll never believe it! We  _ have _ to get to them first!” 

Hisui cocked an eyebrow as she forced herself to sit up. “What are you talking about?” 

The girl bounded over, an excited grin plastered on her face as she shoved the document so close to Hisui's face that she could never hope to read it. “Fairy Tail is disbanding!” 

The princess balked and then frowned. Fairy Tail… was disbanding? “What the hell?” she squeaked, snatching the paper out of her bodyguard’s hands to read it herself. 

And sure enough, Yukino was correct. Fairy Tail was indeed disbanding. “They declare a war against demons,  _ win _ said war, and then decide they’re  _ done?” _ she demanded, clutching at the papers so tightly that they wrinkled in her fist. “Who  _ does _ that?” 

Yukino shrugged and shook her head helplessly. “I haven’t the slightest idea. But don’t you get it, Princess? Fairy Tail wizards are going to be looking for work now, and they’ve been outwitting and working the Council’s system for nearly a  _ century _ now. If you want to build a better Magic Council, you need to get  _ them _ on board. They could tell you how to actually make the Council  _ useful _ to guilds, which will probably help guilds not be so hostile towards it. They could also explain all the loopholes they manipulated, and a way to… you know… make  _ less _ loopholes, when it comes to magical crime.” 

Hisui could admit that Yukino had some fair points. But she was also missing the glaringly obvious. “That entire guild  _ despises _ the government. They’re probably dancing on the Council’s grave. It’s unlikely they’re going to help us rebuild it.” 

Yukino’s excitement faltered for a moment, but it soon came back in full force. “Maybe most of them, but there’s a couple who might actually be interested in…  _ improving _ the Council.” 

Hisui narrowed her eyes. “Like who?” 

“Well…” Yukino went back to the pile of documents on the table. “Levy McGarden tends to handle most issues with the Council, from what I’ve seen.” She sifted through the papers. “But Bisca Mulan is a pretty common contact, as well as…” She squinted. “Laki and Kinana? Oh, and Lisanna.” 

“Get into contact with them immediately,” Hisui issued after a moment. “We need to get to them before anyone else does.” At this point, she would grovel if she needed to. Anything to get some actual help when it came to rebuilding the Council. 

“I’m on it, your majesty!” 

* * *

_ “Kagura!” _ Milliana yowled, clinging onto the swordswoman and shaking her with avid gusto. “Can we please recruit Erzy? Please, please, please, please,  _ please!”  _

Kagura didn’t react at all, allowing the over-excitable cat girl jostle her about. 

“Milliana, you’re going to give her brain damage,” Arana sighed as she stood up from her seat to lean over Kagura’s shoulder, looking at the papers she held. “Although, she is right… Erza Scarlet would be a formidable addition to our ranks.” 

Though Milliana pouted, she let go of Kagura, backing away a few paces. 

It had been a week since the news of Fairy Tail’s disbandment had spread, and guilds were scrambling left and right to recruit the members. Nearly everyone was getting turned down, though. As far as Kagura knew, not a single member had pledged their loyalty to a new guild. Most guilds that extended offers didn’t even get replies. 

But today was different. Because now different Fairy Tail members were announcing if they were actually  _ looking _ to join new guilds. 

Honestly… there weren’t as many on the list as Kagura had been expecting. “Erza isn’t on this list,” she told both women. 

“Awwwww!” Milliana whined, her tail and ears drooping. 

“Unfortunate,” Arana agreed. “But is there anyone else we could look into? It would be foolish to pass up this opportunity.” 

Kagura read over the names on the page again, and she could admit, there were two that interested her. “Arana, go get Risley. We’re going to go speak to Mirajane and Lisanna Strauss.” 

Milliana bounced up and down, an excited squeal escaping her. 

* * *

“Gray isn’t on this list!” Sting whined, slumping forward to let his forehead smack against the bar. 

“Gajeel told you he wasn't interested,” Rogue sighed, snatching the list of names out of Sting’s hands while his brother was distracted by his ridiculous crush. 

“Yeah, you’re expecting me to believe that Gajeel actually spoke to the man and told him I thought he was cute?” Sting scoffed, though his voice was muffled thanks to him still being facedown against the counter. 

The shadow dragon slayer hummed, glancing up from the paper as he pondered. “I suppose that is a fair point.” Personally, he didn’t see his brother’s hilariously obvious thing for the ice mage going anywhere either, but he was nice enough not to point it out. 

But he had better things to worry about at the moment. “Gajeel, Natsu, and Wendy aren’t on this list either.” 

“Yeah, I noticed that.” The blonde sat back up, beginning to tap his fingers against the counter. “I thought it was… weird.” 

Rogue nodded in agreement. He knew how important Fairy Tail was to his siblings, but surely they realized that another guild would be what was best for them, right? They were  _ meant _ for guild life. “Do you think we should ask them if they want to come join Sabertooth anyways?” Maybe if the invitation came from Sting and Rogue, they would be more open to it. 

Sting shrugged, “I guess it could be worth a shot.” 

“Don’t bother with it,” Rufus spoke up as he strode over. “I heard that Wendy Marvell already has her sights set on another guild, and that Natsu Dragneel hasn’t been seen since the battle. Some people are saying he’s dead.” 

“Fuck off, Rufus,” Sting grumbled. “There’s no way Natsu’s dead.” 

Rogue shook his head sadly. He knew his brother was right, but it was still concerning to hear that not a single person had heard or seen anything of Natsu since the battle. If he didn’t resurface sometime soon, maybe they should go out and hunt him down, just to make sure he wasn’t doing anything stupid. 

Or completely falling apart, after... 

Rogue bit his lip as he turned his attention back to the list. Looking over them, he couldn’t picture very many of them fitting in well with Sabertooth. 

Although… there was one that piqued his interest. “Hey, what about him?” he suggested, his finger resting lightly under one of the neatly printed names. 

Sting couldn’t help but grin as he looked over. “Oh, that could be interesting.” 

* * *

Gajeel tried not to pout as he watched Wendy dart around the house, cramming the last of her belongings into bags and suitcases. After all, he’d dug this grave; now he had to lie in it. Wendy had asked him about a thousand times to come to Lamia Scale with her, and he’d turned her down at every turn. 

He just didn’t think the guild would be a good match for him. They were too... straight-laced. The only reason he’d fit in as well as he had with Fairy Tail was because of their lack of rules—and morals, if he was being perfectly honest. Lamia Scale was far too prim and proper for his tastes. 

Besides… as much as he hated it, it would be good for Wendy to spend some time on her own, without him and Natsu constantly hounding her. She needed to grow, to live her life, meet people her own age and make her own friends. The sky dragon slayer was thirteen now, plenty old enough to start doing that kind of thing.

It didn’t mean he had to like it, though. 

“Gajeel, have you seen my— Oh never mind, I found it!” Wendy called from one of the bedrooms. 

He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, trying to fight through the stiffness in his fingers. The  _ permanent _ stiffness, if Porlyusica and Chelia were to be believed. 

But at least it shouldn’t hinder him during fights. They’d both said it would be more of an issue when it came to delicate movements, writing, drawing, that sort of thing, and thankfully, nothing like that was important to Gajeel. 

So why did it leave him feeling so  _ frustrated? _

A knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts, and Gajeel immediately recognized the scent of Chelia Blendy. “You can just come in!” he shouted. 

Though it took her a second, like she wasn’t completely sure if it was really okay to come in, she poked her head through the door. “Hi, Mister Gajeel,” she chirped. 

“Told ya not to call me  _ ‘Mister,’ _ kid,” he grumbled. The god slayer had been staying in Magnolia for the past week, along with Lyon Vastia. Originally, it had been so Chelia could heal as many people as could, taking breaks so she didn’t exhaust herself or overuse her magic, but then Mirajane had suggested everyone in Fairy Tail start looking for new guilds to join, since Erza had gone off with Crime Sorciere and given her the idea, and Chelia had jumped at the chance to invite Wendy to join Lamia Scale. 

Wendy had been hesitant at first, but not for long. She’d spent the past three days getting ready to leave, only getting more and more excited as time went on. 

Gajeel knew it was going to be good for her, he  _ knew _ it was, but he was going to  _ miss _ her. It hadn’t even been a full year since they’d been reunited, and he was losing both of his siblings again. Natsu had dropped off the face of the Earth. At first, Gajeel hadn’t been worried, his brother would come back eventually, but it had been a week now, and there was no sign of him. He had half a mind to track him down, but by now, there wouldn’t be much of a scent to follow. Not to mention, if Natsu didn’t want to be found, he knew plenty of ways to keep himself from being tracked like that. 

No, he was just going to have to wait on Natsu to return himself, and at least he would know where Wendy was, so he would have plenty of opportunities to visit her. 

Now he just had to figure out what the hell he was going to do himself. Despite Mirajane’s insistence, he hadn’t allowed her to put his name on the list of Fairy Tail wizards looking to join other guilds. He’d spent too long in a place like Phantom Lord to join another guild; despite it all, he was still far too rough around the edges. Fairy Tail was the only place that could overlook that. 

Briefly, he had considered Sabertooth. He needed the money, after all, and it would be nice to get closer with Sting and Rogue, but his brothers had gotten used to being on their own. Sure, they might  _ think _ they wanted Gajeel around, but in all actuality, they probably didn’t. 

Not a whole lot of people wanted Gajeel around, actually. 

“You’re sure you don’t want to join up, too?” Chelia asked, leaning closer to him, her hands on her hips, that incessant smile never leaving her face. Didn’t her face hurt from grinning so goddamn much? 

“I’m sure,” he grunted, turning away from her. He was glad Wendy had met someone like Chelia, someone who would love her regardless of what she looked like, but he could admit he could feel a bit of resentment towards the girl. He couldn’t help but feel like she was stealing his little sister away from him. 

He knew that wasn’t true, but it was still frustrating. 

“Oh… okay then.” Chelia backed off, and turned to go help Wendy with the last of her things. 

“You better treat her well, ya hear?” Gajeel told her, standing to his full height, towering over her, letting his wings begin to flare. 

Chelia looked him up and down, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, and damn her for having more emotional maturity than every other person Gajeel knew combined. “Of course I will, Mis—” 

He growled. 

“Gajeel,” she corrected herself quickly. 

He huffed, but backed off. Despite it all, he couldn’t bring himself to actually threaten the girl. She was too… small. And similar to Wendy, if he was being honest. 

“Oh, Gajeel,” Wendy scolded as she walked out of the bedroom with a comically large backpack slung over her shoulders. “Be nice to Chelia.” She bounded over to nudge Chelia. “Don’t mind him. He’s actually really nice.” 

Chelia’s grin widened. “Oh, I believe you.” 

Gajeel snorted. This brat really was something else. “Alright, time for you to go.” He grabbed the back of both girls’ shirts, and dragged them towards the front door. “Y'er gonna miss your train. Where’s Charle?” 

“She’s meeting us there,” Wendy said. “She’s just saying goodbye to Pantherlily.” And Pantherlily was out looking for Happy, despite Gajeel telling him it was a useless endeavor, if the Exceed was with Natsu. 

He was about two seconds from having both girls out the door when Wendy twisted around to grab his wrist, tears glistening in her wide eyes. “Gajeel…” 

He sighed. Damn, he’d really been hoping to avoid this, for both their sakes. 

“I’ll give you a moment,” Chelia said, softly patting Wendy’s shoulder. “I’ll be waiting outside, whenever you’re ready.” 

Wendy nodded, and leaned over to nuzzle at Chelia’s cheek, and the god slayer squeaked as red spread over her cheeks. 

Gajeel nearly rolled his eyes. At this rate, Wendy was going to be scenting her within a few days. 

Chelia stepped outside, closing the door behind her, leaving Gajeel alone with his little sister. 

Wendy launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against him. “I’m gonna miss you,” she whimpered. 

“Yeah, I know, brat.” He stroked her hair, and then the fur on her shoulders. “But this is gonna be good for you.” 

Wendy looked up at him, and her lip began to wobble. 

“Hey.” The iron dragon slayer roughly patted her head. “Don’t start cryin’ now.” 

She bit her lip, but nodded, pulling back from Gajeel and steeling herself. “You’re right. You’re right! I’m going to be a great Lamia Scale wizard!” She held her fists up, a shaky smile spreading across her face. “But… please come get me when Natsu comes back, or if you need help finding him.” 

“Sure thing.” He opened the door and shoved her outside. “Now get. Take good care of that girl of yers.” 

“Gajeel!” Wendy shrieked. 

* * *

Juvia crept down the streets, her body already aching. She’d been wallowing in her bed ever since Tartaros, and she was starting to feel terribly guilty over it. Sure, she was beyond exhausted, her body didn’t feel like it wanted to work properly, but she hadn’t seen any of her friends since the day Makarov had decided to disband the guild; she hadn’t spoken to them then, either. 

She was directionless, feeling more dejected than she had since the death of her mother. Honestly, she was surprised it wasn’t raining. 

The water mage had killed a Tartaros demon, she’d helped destroy the entire guild, her parents’ life’s work, and yet... she felt nothing. She felt no closer to them, no better about them both being murdered. The deaths of those demons meant  _ nothing _ to her. 

But she couldn’t focus on that right now. She needed to go make sure Gajeel was holding up okay, and then… 

Gray. 

She’d watched him stagger away when Makarov had disbanded Fairy Tail, and while she had considered chasing after him, Erza beat her to it. Juvia had decided that Erza probably would be able to better handle the situation than she could. 

But now Erza was gone, having joined Crime Soricere, according to Mirajane. 

At this point, Juvia wasn’t sure if the feelings of dejection were her own, or if they were coming from Gray. 

Which was how she found herself outside of his apartment. She raised her fist to knock on the door, but hesitated. Would she really be able to help him? He was losing his entire life, his best friends, his makeshift family. And she herself hadn’t even known him a  _ year _ . 

But she also knew he shouldn’t be alone right now, and her company should be better than none. 

So she rapped on the door. 

No response. For a few moments, there was nothing but silence, and Juvia wondered if Gray was even home, or if perhaps he was asleep. But just as she considered turning away and going back home, the door opened. 

Juvia couldn’t help the soft gasp that fled her lips.

He looked  _ awful. _ The bandages wrapped around his body were wrinkled and torn, exposing the horrible wounds that still hadn’t been healed, despite Juvia knowing that Wendy and Chelia had been working around the clock to help everyone. Huge, dark circles were smudged beneath his eyes, and his hair was greasy, sticking up in a thousand different directions, bearing a much closer resemblance to Natsu's than his own usual style. 

“Gray…” She never should have waited this long to come check on him. She never should have let her own self-pity prevent her from trying to help him, to reach out to him. “When was the last time you slept? Or ate anything?” 

There was a beat of silence, before he shrugged halfheartedly, and that wasn’t a reassuring answer in the least. Juvia wasn’t sure if that meant he didn’t know, or if he just didn’t want to tell her. 

“May I come in?” she prompted, unable to tear her eyes away from him. Like hell she was going to leave him alone until she knew he’d had a decent meal and a nap. 

Gray sighed quietly, shuffling out of the way to let her inside, but still declined to say anything. 

Juvia’s heart broke. 

* * *

Levy stared down at the papers she’d received. It was one of the most official looking documents that she’d ever seen in her life. Which made sense. It was directly from Princess Hisui, after all. 

She’d given her name out as someone looking for a new guild, and she’d received a couple invitations. She hadn’t looked too closely at any of them yet, she was going to mull over her options, before eventually coming to a decision. 

But this invitation from the Princess had only complicated her decision making. 

Asking her to help rebuild the Magic Council. No, beyond that, become a  _ member _ of the Council. 

Normally, Levy would have laughed at something like that. Not even  _ she _ would work for the Council. 

But this wasn’t  _ working _ for the Council. This was the opportunity to make something new of the Council, something helpful, something good, something that was more than a nuisance for guilds and filled with corrupt individuals. 

However, this wasn’t a decision she could make quickly. No, she needed to think about it, consider all her options, as well as find out exactly what Hisui was expecting from her. It was one thing to join another guild, she was used to that kind of life, this would be something entirely different. 

With a sigh, she folded up the papers and stuffed them in her pocket. She also had to consider Jet and Droy. And… 

And Gajeel. 

While she would miss Jet and Droy, she was certain they would all fair just fine if they ended up going their separate ways. After all, they'd had seven years to get used to being with out her. But Gajeel… 

She didn’t feel right about leaving Gajeel alone, especially with Natsu and Wendy gone now. 

As far as she knew, the dragon slayer had no plans for his future. 

_ I wonder if I could convince him to come with me… wherever I end up going.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters to go! I'm already working on the zero arc, and I hope you all like it when I polish it up enough to start posting it!


	74. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu encounters a familiar face, Gray and Juvia decide what to do next, and Mavis contacts Erza

Natsu yanked the haphazard splint off his wing. It didn’t hurt anymore, and the splint was itchy and irritating. Two weeks was plenty of time for the bone to heal, right? 

“Natsu!” Happy scolded from nearby as the dragon slayer tossed the splint aside. “The healer said to leave it on for at least a month!” 

“But it feels fine!” he argued, flexing the appendage in question. Okay,  _ maybe _ it ached a little bit, but so long as he didn’t try flying, it would be fine, wouldn’t it? 

“Natsu…” his friend sighed sadly as he got up to paw at the abandoned splint. “I’m worried about you.” 

Natsu shot the Exceed a wary glance. It wasn’t the first time Happy had expressed his concern in the past two weeks. “I’m fine,” he assured him, just like every other time the cat said something along those lines. 

“But—” 

“Really, I am.” Natsu forced himself to smile. Sure, there had been a couple days where he couldn’t seem to make himself to get up on the morning, wanting nothing more than to just lie on the ground and disappear, and he hadn’t been eating as much as he normally did, and they were getting further and further away from civilization, further away from anyone who might be able to help if they needed it, but Natsu was  _ fine. _

“You still haven’t told me where we were going,” Happy said. 

Natsu halfway considered telling his friend that he  _ didn’t _ have a specific destination in mind, but that wasn’t quite true. In the past, he had tried many times to find the forest and caves where he and his siblings had grown up with the dragons. When they’d woken up that morning without them, it hadn’t been where they had been living. Eventually, he’d been forced to give up the search, when working and Wendy had become more important, and he’d searched everywhere within a reasonable distance. 

But now… well, Natsu couldn’t quite explain why he felt the intense need to find that place again, he knew there would be  _ nothing _ there for him, but he had to try. And that meant going out into the mountains, deeper than he’d ever gone before, because there weren’t many other places to look. 

“My old home,” he told Happy. There was no point in hiding it, not really. 

“Oh…” Slowly, like he was afraid if he moved too fast Natsu would bolt, Happy approached him. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” 

_ Are you sure that isn’t just going to make you feel worse?  _

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Natsu answered, reaching over to scratch the cat between the ears. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, though.” 

Happy shook his head. “I’m not leaving you alone.” 

“I—” Natsu cut himself off, snapping his mouth shut so he could sniff at the air, his eyes lighting up. There was  _ no way, _ what were the  _ odds? _ “Gildarts!” He’d recognize the scent of his guildmate anywhere! 

“What!?” 

Natsu scrambled to his feet, following the scent with an excited grin on his face. He hadn’t seen Gildarts since Tenrou! Which… well, that wasn’t  _ that _ long, especially considering the extended times he’d gone without seeing Gildarts in the past, but he had missed him, and it would be nice to see him. 

Happy bounded after Natsu, before leaping and fluttering up to rest on his shoulder. “What do you think he’s doing out here?” 

Natsu shrugged. “Who knows?” He never knew what Gildarts was up to. The quests he took were ranked above  _ S-Class. _ No one other than the Master ever really knew what he was actually doing. 

“Maybe he—” Happy began. 

Natsu climbed over a bank, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the wizard in question.  _ “Gildarts!”  _

Happy yowled and sank his claws into Natsu’s shoulder as the dragon slayer took off sprinting. “Natsu, don’t!” he shrieked, probably expecting Natsu to try attacking Gildarts, demanding a fight, like he normally did every time he reunited with him. 

“Wha—  _ Natsu!?”  _ Gildarts demanded, already throwing his arms up in a defense. 

But Natsu didn’t attack. As soon as he was close enough, he leapt at Gildarts, wrapping his arms around the older man and burying his face in his chest. 

Gildarts stiffened, still holding his arms up in a half-hearted defense. “Kid?” 

Happy sighed and jumped back to the ground as Natsu tightened his hold on Gildarts, relishing in his warmth. He couldn’t explain it. Honestly, he _had_ been planning to try and get Gildarts to fight him, that’s what they’d always done when they were reunited, but then he… 

He just wanted a  _ hug. _

Hesitantly, Gildarts hugged him back, using one hand to ruffle his hair. “The hell are you doing out here?” 

“I…” Natsu glanced up at him. “I just…” Tears built in his eyes, but he didn’t know  _ why.  _

“Hey, hey, woah.” Gildarts glanced to Happy for an explanation, but the Exceed just shook his head. 

Frowning, Gildarts pulled back, his hands on Natsu’s shoulders to keep him still. “I swear… it’s gotten to the point that every time I see you, something’s gone wrong. Tell me what happened.” 

Natsu wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. He hadn’t actually cried since… since the battle ended, and he couldn’t explain why seeing Gildarts again suddenly made him… “I found my dad,” he whimpered. 

Gildarts eyes widened, a small smile beginning to form, but the happy expression disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “Oh yeah?” He could tell that something was very clearly wrong. How could it not be? Natsu should have been ecstatic over finding Igneel again, after all. 

The dragon slayer nodded, and he weakly grabbed onto Gildarts’s cloak, his claws snagging in the fabric. “He…he—” Natsu looked away, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of Acnologia tearing into his father, Igneel’s blood soaking into the ground, his scales going cold. 

Gildarts eyebrows pinched together, his expression growing even more concerned. “Here.” Gently, he pushed Natsu to the ground, before sitting next to him. “Take your time, kid.” 

Natsu shook his head. He didn’t want to say it out loud. He  _ couldn’t. _ It was like if he said it, that made it  _ real. _ That really meant Igneel was  _ never coming back.  _

Happy climbed into Natsu’s lap, placing a comforting paw on his hand. “You want me to tell him?” 

“No, I…” Natsu took a deep breath, Gray’s voice echoing in his head as he told him he couldn’t deny everything anymore. “I have to…” 

_ Igneel is gone. Igneel is never coming back. Igneel is…Igneel is…  _

“Dead,” he forced out, the word burning in his mouth, leaving a sour taste. “M-my dad is— he’s  _ dead _ _.”_

Nothing changed. He didn’t feel any better. He didn’t feel like some weight had been lifted off his chest. He didn’t feel like it helped him move on at all. 

“Gods.” Gildarts grabbed Natsu and yanked him into another hug. “Gods, kid, I’m so sorry.” 

Natsu went limp in his grasp, tears beginning to stream down his face, soft sobs shaking his body. “It’s not fair,” he cried. “I just got him back, and then he-he—” 

Gildarts nodded. “I know.” He held him tighter. “Happy, tell me what happened.” 

Natsu tuned out Happy’s explanation. The last thing he wanted to hear were the details of what happened. 

“Is Cana alright?” Gildarts demanded as soon as the Exceed was done explaining what had happened with the Tartaros battle. 

Happy nodded. “She’s fine. I don’t think she even ended up with any bad injuries.” 

“Good, good.” Gildarts finally let go of Natsu. “And Lisanna?” 

Natsu wasn’t sure if the question was meant for him or Happy, so he forced himself to answer. “She’s okay…” She had those wounds from her attempted strangulation, but she would be okay. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help,” Gildarts said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Don’t know what I would have really been able to do, but I should have at least been there.” 

Natsu shook his head. “You didn’t know…” It had all happened so fast. Had the battle really only lasted a night?

“You still haven’t explained to me what the hell you’re doing out here in the mountains, though,” Gildarts frowned. “This doesn’t seem like the best time for you to be on a solo job.” 

“Not a job…” Natsu muttered, his wings curling around his body. “I just…I needed to leave. And I need…” he grabbed at his scarf. “I need answers.” He doubted he was going to find any, to any of his questions, especially not in his childhood home. But he had to know. 

He had to know where he’d come from, who he was, before Igneel took him in. He had to know why he lost control when he fought sometimes. He had to know why he was so desperate for the Book of E.N.D.. He had to know what his connection to Zeref was. 

He couldn’t forget about the way that he’d threatened Gray. Not only had he failed to protect his friends, his  _ father, _ but he had almost  _ hurt _ one of his friends. 

He couldn’t go back. Not until… until he could keep them safe, from Acnologia, and  _ himself. _

Natsu had never once been worried about  _ actually _ hurting someone he cared about. But this battle had changed that. Not only had he  _ wanted _ to hurt Gray, but he hadn’t seen anything  _ wrong _ with that. Even now, while somewhere in his head, he knew he never wanted to hurt Gray, that threatening him was wrong, he still… part of Natsu was still convinced that nothing  _ was  _ wrong with the way he had reacted. 

And it scared him. 

No, it  _ terrified _ him. 

Gildarts sighed. “Guess I don’t have any right to tell you to go back. But how about you two stay with me? For the night, at least.” 

“I…” Natsu leaned against the older man’s shoulder. “I’d like that…” 

* * *

Gray glanced down at the key in the palm of his hand, before sighing and locking the door to his apartment for the last time. He wasn’t overly attached to the place by any means, it was just a place to live. He had far more sentimentality linked with the guildhall, or hell, even Natsu’s place. But it still felt strange to know that this  _ wasn’t _ his home anymore. 

But there was nothing left for him here anymore. Natsu and Erza had vanished two weeks ago. A week later, Mirajane and Lisanna had joined Mermaid Heel, Elfman had joined Sabertooth, and Wendy had joined Lamia Scale. Other members scattered in the wind as well. Laxus and his team were thinking about Blue Pegasus. Bisca was working for Princess Hisui now, helping to rebuild the Council, and of course Alzack and Asca had gone with her. Laki and Kinana were doing the same thing. Lucy, Loke, and Cana were in the process of moving to Crocus, as Lucy had been offered a reporting job there. 

Honestly, as far as Gray knew, the only people he was relatively close with that were still in Magnolia with no clear plans yet were Gajeel and Levy, but knowing them, they’d figure something out and be leaving soon as well. 

So what point was there in staying here? 

Gray readjusted the bag on his shoulder. There wasn’t much in it. Just a change of clothes, some bedding, and a few photographs he didn’t want to leave behind. “Well…guess I’ll see you around, Magnolia.” 

He dropped his key off with the landlord, walking through the city for the last time for a long while to meet Juvia on the outskirts of town. 

“Are you ready?” she asked, glancing back at the city one last time. “We don’t have to do this, you know. We could look for Natsu, or— or join another guild.” 

He stared at her, searching for any apprehension or doubt in her expression. “Is that what you want to do?” 

Juvia shook her head. “Not at all, Gray. I’m just making sure that this is what  _ you _ want to do.” She looked down, letting her hair fall into her eyes. “We… probably won’t like what we find.” 

Gray took a deep breath. He knew she was right. How could they find anything  _ but _ awful things with what they were doing, where they were going? Searching the graveyards and vaults of their dead families, looking for answers they probably didn’t  _ really _ want to find. 

He found himself fidgeting with the earrings he wore now, a nervous habit he’d developed ever since he’d pierced his ears with his father’s cross earrings. 

“I’m sure. We… we need to know, Juvia,” he said. They had to know what had started this all. Sure, they knew the basics of what happened between their families, but they didn’t know all the details. He was  _ positive _ there was information they were still missing. 

“Well…” She turned her gaze to the horizon. “Alright then. Where to first? Your old village? Ur’s home? Or should we start with my family? I know my father had mentioned hidden information when I was little. I have no idea where, but we could probably find  _ something _ if we searched hard enough.” 

Gray let his hand fall away from the earring. “I want to go to my village first.” Partly because he wanted to get it over with, and partly because he honestly didn’t think they would find much there, but mostly because he wanted to make some kind of memorial for his parents. He’d never had the chance when he was younger, and even if they were long dead, without any remains to actually bury, Gray still wanted to make  _ some _ kind of grave for them. 

“Alright then,” Juvia reached up to readjust her hat and tuck stray strands of hair into it. “Let’s get going.” 

Gray spared Magnolia one last look. He couldn’t help but wonder if they would all ever be in the city together again. He couldn’t help but feel like they might not be. This all felt… 

So  _ final. _

“It’s strange, don’t you think?” Juvia mused quietly. “Leaving like this? I feel like we’re going on a job request but… you know…” She sighed and shook her head. 

“Yeah…” Gray didn’t tell her that it didn’t feel like much of a quest to him, not without Natsu and Erza by his side. She didn’t need to know that, and he needed to stop wallowing in the fact that they were gone. He needed to accept it. They’d left, and that was the end of it. 

And now Gray was leaving too. 

* * *

Crime Sorciere was always moving. Not that Erza was surprised, this was something she had known, but it was an entirely different thing to experience. She was used to traveling, how could she not be? But it was still very strange to sleep in a different place every night, never really even setting up a proper camp, because they needed to be ready to move in a second’s notice. 

Though it was nice to spend so much time with Jellal, and Meredy was a lovely person as well. The Oracion Seis were… still a bit wary of her, though Angel seemed to be coming around, even if it was mostly just to flirt with Erza (she really didn’t seem to care when Erza told her she already had a boyfriend and girlfriend, Angel had merely smirked and said, “Well, what’s one more, then?”) 

When Erza had turned to Jellal for help, he’d only laughed. 

Angel still had not given up in her attempts to woo or flirt with Erza, though it definitely seemed to have evolved into more of a fun thing for her, rather than an actual serious attempt at convincing Erza to sleep with her. 

Meredy walked over to drop a paper in Erza’s lap. “Racer just got back with the intel on that dark guild.” 

“Oh.” It was the first guild they were going after since Tartaros. They wanted to start taking them down as quickly as possible, not wanting any of them to gain stronger footholds now that Tartaros, the last main power in the dark magic underworld, was gone. “They seem like a rather small guild.” 

Meredy sighed and nodded. “Yes, but we don’t want to risk taking on a larger one until we’re a little more sure about the Oracion Seis’s loyalties.” 

Erza frowned. “But they aided you during the Tartaros battle.” 

“Only because they had to,” Meredy insisted. “This is an entirely different matter. And if they turn tail and run, or turn on us, I’d rather be facing a dark guild that me, you, and Jellal could handle perfectly fine on our own.” 

“I suppose that makes sense…” Though Erza certainly didn’t remember Meredy being this suspicious or paranoid. 

Ultear’s death had really changed her, hadn’t it? 

“Just carefully look over this, please?” Meredy requested. “We’re going to attack tomorrow morning, just before sunrise.” 

Erza nodded, and turned her attention back to the paper. “Of course, Meredy.” While Crime Sorciere certainly might not have an  _ official _ guildmaster, it was obvious that Meredy was the one in charge, now that Ultear was no longer around. Despite having a knack for leading himself, Jellal seemed to want nothing to do with the position. 

Erza suspected it had something to do with guilt over the Tower of Heaven, a belief that he no longer deserved to have people following him. 

She couldn’t say that she blamed him. 

Erza fished a little chocolate bar out of her bag, and leaned against a tree, nibbling on the candy and more carefully reading over the intel that Meredy had given her. 

“Psst, Erza!” 

The requip mage nearly groaned. “Not now, Angel, I don’t—” 

“Erza!” Mavis plopped down next to her, her ghostly form almost seeming to flicker. 

“M-Master Mavis!?” Erza exclaimed. What the hell was  _ she _ doing here? How had she even managed to  _ find _ her? 

The blonde held her hands over her mouth, a quiet giggle escaping her. “I rarely see you so startled, Erza.” 

“What are you  _ doing _ here?” she hissed, warily glancing across the camp at the other Crime Sorciere members. “This isn’t a good place to be appearing when we aren’t expecting you!” Mavis was a ghost, so Erza doubted she could actually be harmed, but the wizards of Crime Soricere were not good ones to sneak up on like this. 

Mavis waved her off. “They can only see me if I want them to. I’m essentially an illusion, you know! One I only want  _ you _ to see, for the moment.” 

“What are you doing here?” Erza repeated, her voice taking on more of an edge as her eyes narrowed. 

Mavis’s easy smile vanished. “It’s time.” 

“Time for what?” 

Mavis took Erza’s hand. “Time.” She curled her fingers against Erza’s. “Time for the truth. Time for the end. Time for the beginning.” 

“What does that  _ mean?” _ Erza exclaimed, loud enough that Cobra and Midnight shot her a glance. 

Mavis’s smile returned. But it wasn’t the innocent, excited smile from before. No, this was knowing, calculated, it reminded Erza of a cat that had just caught its prey. “I’m giving you a clue, Faerie.” She pulled her hand away, leaving a small slip of parchment in Erza’s palm. “It’s time you learned the truth of what you are.” 

Erza frowned, holding the tiny scrap of parchment up to read the string of numbers scrawled across it in delicate handwriting. “What the hell does this mean?” she demanded, turning back to Mavis. 

But the girl had vanished. 

Erza snarled, her fingers closing into a fist and crumpling up the paper. Why did Mavis always have to be so damn cryptic and confusing? 

Erza opened her fist, staring at the numbers again. “Wait…” 

Her eyes widened. Mavis had said these were a clue, right? A clue to help her learn the truth about Faeries. And the only way to learn that, would be by finding Mavis’s books, the ones that Warrod had mentioned. 

She jumped to her feet, an excited grin spreading across her face. “They’re coordinates! Coordinates to her books!” 


	75. Magic of the Faeries

Mavis stared out across the ocean, in the direction of Tenrou Island, wondering if she should return home. The guild was gone, and she’d given Erza the key to her books. There was nothing more for her to do anymore. Not until the guild came back together. 

Despite spending nearly a century on Tenrou, plotting and preparing, all alone, she found she missed the island. It was strange. She didn’t think she would ever be capable of missing that place, not after spending so much time there that she’d memorized the placement of every tree, everyone stone, every piece of Tenrou. 

Or perhaps it wasn’t necessarily Tenrou that she missed. Perhaps it was the person that Tenrou reminded her of. 

“I know I’m taking a long time, Zera…” Mavis bowed her head, clasping her hands and letting her hair tumble into her eyes. “I promise I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” 

A cool breeze caressed her face, and she let out a breath. “It’s been so long…” Too long, unbearably long. 

_ You’ve been so strong, Mavis, _ a voice whispered,  _ Zera’s _ voice, but  _ not _ Zera. 

She shook her head. “Don’t use her voice… please don’t do that.” 

_ As you wish, _ the entity said, using another achingly familiar voice. 

“Not Zeref’s either.” Mavis closed her eyes. “I assure you, I am more than okay with you using your true form, you don’t have to desecrate the voices and forms of those I hold dear.” 

A ghostly touch brushed her shoulders, almost as if she were being hugged from behind, but it didn’t feel  _ quite _ like human touch.  _ I promise it’s almost over, Mavis. And you’ve done so well. _

Honestly, Mavis struggled to bring herself to care anymore. After a  _ century, _ alone, without those she cared about, manipulating her legacy… 

She knew it had to be done, truly, she did, but after so long, those things were getting to her. It left her feeling… hollow, almost  _ dead _ inside. 

It was alarming, too close to how she had felt during the Trade Wars, when she’d been so numb inside, so broken, that she hadn’t even noticed she had fallen under the Curse of Ankhseram. 

“I’m tired…” Mavis whispered. How long had it been since she’d been held? Since she’d felt warm and safe? Since she had been open and truly kind? “I want it to be over…” 

_ You’re so close, you’re almost there, just a little longer.  _

“A little longer,” Mavis whispered. “Just a little longer, Zera… a little longer.” 

* * *

_ “My Lady…you really should rest.”  _

_ Titania jerked up, her eyes narrowing. “Ah… Virgo. I didn’t summon you, what are you doing here?”  _

_ Virgo fidgeted with the hem of her dress. “My Lady… you’re exhausting yourself, you should try and get some sleep. We’re all getting worried.”  _

_ “All?” Titania asked. Who was there to worry about her? She was the most powerful wizard in the entire world. No one  _ worried _ about her.  _

_ “Your friends, your advisors, your spirits…” Virgo glanced away. “Even Aquarius is growing concerned.”  _

_ “Aquarius isn’t even my spirit,” Titania pointed out. Aquarius belonged to Heartfilia. Or was it Aguria? No… no, it was Heartfilia. Ophiuchus belonged to Aguria.  _

_ The Faerie heaved a sigh. Perhaps Virgo was right. If Titania was confusing the magic of her most trusted advisors, perhaps she was overworking herself.  _

_ Virgo turned back to her, brushing her hair behind her ear, her shackle jangling as she did so. “The gods have been speaking to you again, haven’t they?”  _

_ Titania stared down at the diary she had been writing in. It was complete gibberish, and upon closer inspection, she realized some of it wasn’t even in a tongue she recognized. “Yes, I suppose they have been.”  _

_ The corner of Virgo’s mouth twitched downwards, concern budding in her eyes. “My Lady?”  _

_ Titania waved her off and shut the diary. “It’s nothing, I assure you.”  _

The way the gods play with me, is nothing compared to those who come after. 

* * *

Zeref stared down at the Book of E.N.D., delicately tracing the letters on the cover. 

He could sense it in the air. The powers of the world were shifting. The dragons were dead and gone, replaced only by the slayers. Even nearly all the Etherious had died off, leaving only the hybrids, and a select few that hadn’t been Tartaros members. There had been a resurgence in Faerie magic, a tingling in the air that had not quite been there, even four hundred years ago. 

It was like the gods themselves were awakening. 

“What hand have you had in this, Mavis, dear?” Zeref was not too proud to admit that Mavis was infinitely more clever than him. He knew she had been laying the groundwork for a grand scheme for a century now. Was it finally time to watch her plans come to fruition? 

Well… if that were the case… 

Zeref gripped the cover of the book, his fingers slipping beneath the worn leather, brushing the pages beneath it. “I have my own plans, Mavis.” 

He opened the Book of E.N.D.. 

* * *

Natsu awoke with a gasp, a feeling like nothing he’d ever experienced  _ blazing _ through his chest.  _ Burning _ him. He clawed at his chest, frantically trying to make it stop, to get it  _ out, _ until he realized… 

_ It… doesn’t hurt?  _

He forced his breathing to steady, forced his hands away from his chest, focusing on the fact that he felt a foreign fire blazing through his very soul, but didn’t feel one bit of pain. 

Just energy and power and a strange difference that he couldn’t  _ quite _ name. 

“What the hell?” he whispered. 

A fire flickered across his fingertips, and Natsu frowned. That… couldn’t be his fire… right? 

But it was definitely coming from  _ him. _ His body, his power, his magic. 

Little flames, springing up from his palm, as red as blood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well everyone, it's the end! If you read all of this, 1. I want to know if you're okay like holy hell this is a lot, but 2. Thank you so much!!! I hope you enjoyed it (at least a little bit), and if you've ever left a nice comment or a kudos, it really means a lot! They always brighten my day 
> 
> I think I mentioned this a while back, but the next two upcoming parts are going to be posted at the same time, as I'll be working on both of them simultaneously. There's going to be a 15 chapter long part containing the Zero Arc and what came after, and then a 20 chapter long part detailing what everyone is up to between now and Alvarez. I hope you enjoy the direction that the story goes
> 
> Once again, thank you so much! This is my favorite fic to work on (obviously), but it always makes it so much more fun to know other people are enjoying it as well
> 
> I'll see you at the Zero arc!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come chat with me on tumblr
> 
> @animateddragon: anime and fanfic blog
> 
> @cats-crows-and-cryptids: shitposts, mental breakdowns, hyperfixation central
> 
> @cryptid-kaz: original writing blog


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